Reports have emerged of tensions within the England squad just 24 hours before the start of the November internationals

England coach Steve Borthwick has been hit by damaging claims of a player revolt on the eve of the autumn Nations Championship matches.

A damning report in The Times, sourced from people close to the England camp, claims players lost faith in the coach during the summer and wanted to hold a crisis meeting with Borthwick and Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive Bill Sweeney ahead of the final July fixture against Argentina.

Borthwick is accused of piling pressure on his own players and lacking personal man-management skills, with claims that a breakdown in relationships has contributed to an unhappy atmosphere within the England set-up.

During the summer campaign it is claimed vice-captain Ellis Genge's frustrations boiled over as he confronted Borthwick on the training ground.

It is also alleged his approach to removing Jamie George from the England captaincy nearly two years ago left the hooker considering retiring from international rugby, while two members of the coaching staff have quit without other jobs to go to, amid suggestions of an increasingly difficult working environment.

One of the departed staff members was Welshman Joe Lewis, who was England's senior analyst before quitting and later joining South Africa, alongside former England defence coach Felix Jones, who also left the set-up unexpectedly.

The Times claims Lewis' departure came after Borthwick's handling of a family tragedy last Christmas, when the analyst's father-in-law fell and died in an accident at his family home, where his children were present.

Lewis told Borthwick he would need time off to care for his traumatised family, but The Times reports that Borthwick was asking for data and video analysis for England's next camp within days. Two months later, Lewis quit.

A lack of harmony between coaches and confusion among players is said to have defined recent campaigns, including this year's Six Nations when England lost four out of five matches to finish fifth in the table.

The scale of that collapse prompted the RFU to launch a detailed review into the team's performances, with Sweeney admitting at the time that the results represented an "unusual outcome" which required a deeper examination.

The review, completed in May, involved one-to-one interviews with players, coaches and members of the wider backroom staff, alongside input from independent external contributors. The RFU described the process as involving open, constructive and, at times, challenging discussions.

Its findings identified a number of performance issues, including discipline, the execution of opportunities and an inability to make the most of key moments.

However, the RFU stopped short of publishing the full findings, citing the need to protect confidential information in a competitive international environment. Borthwick was ultimately backed to remain in charge through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with Sweeney saying the coach had engaged with the process openly and had clear plans to address the issues identified.

According to The Times, some players were reluctant to speak candidly, amid concerns about the review process itself and whether they could be completely open about their experiences.

Borthwick named his team to face Australia this weekend on Friday afternoon, with Genge dropped to the bench.

The England coach has made four changes to the XV that defeated Argentina 31-24 in July, with George Furbank returning at full-back having been ruled out against the Pumas because of appendicitis.

It will be Furbank’s first England appearance for two years following a savage run of injuries, including a broken arm, concussion and calf issue.

The Harlequins playmaker was included in the starting XV named against South Africa in July but was forced to withdraw because of the appendicitis that ended his tour without playing a minute.

In another shot in the arm for an England team reeling from five defeats in eight Tests in 2026, Fin Baxter starts at loosehead prop at the earliest opportunity having been out for 11 months because of a foot problem that required two surgeries.

The highly-rated front row comes in for Genge, and there are two further changes to the pack with the return of second row Maro Itoje and openside Ben Curry