England's 2023 Rugby World Cup Campaign: Full Review

Executive Summary: A Campaign of Grit and Growth

Let’s be honest, when the final whistle blew in Paris on that October night, the overriding feeling for England fans wasn't one of unbridled joy. It was something more complex: a potent mix of pride, what-ifs, and a quiet respect for a journey that defied almost all external expectations. This is the story of England's 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign—a tale not of champagne rugby and free-flowing tries, but of resilience, tactical pragmatism, and a squad that grew tighter with every challenge thrown its way.

Under Head Coach Steve Borthwick, who had taken the reins just nine months prior, the England national rugby union team arrived in France written off by many. The build-up had been rocky, the performances inconsistent. Yet, they navigated a tricky pool, stared down a quarter-final crisis, and came within a whisker of a final they were never supposed to reach. This review dives deep into how they did it, what the numbers tell us, and what it all means for the future of the Red Rose.

Background / Challenge: A Mountain to Climb

To understand the magnitude of the task, we need to rewind. The period leading into the World Cup was, by any measure, turbulent. Eddie Jones’s long tenure ended in December 2022, leaving Steve Borthwick with a daunting in-tray: a misfiring attack, questions over leadership, and a squad low on confidence after a dismal 2022 Autumn Nations Series.

The 2023 Guinness Six Nations offered little immediate solace. While there were flashes—a record-breaking victory over Scotland vs England trophy, the Calcutta Cup, at Twickenham—the campaign finished a disappointing fourth. The attacking stats made for grim reading. The team looked shackled, unsure of its identity. The noise from outside was loud and largely pessimistic.

The challenge for Borthwick and Captain Owen Farrell was monumental: in less than 30 weeks, they had to build a new foundation, instill a unshakeable belief, and craft a game plan robust enough to survive the knockout stages of a World Cup. The mission was clear: forge a team that could win ugly, because pretty didn't seem to be an option.

Approach / Strategy: The Borthwick Blueprint

So, what was the plan? Borthwick, a strategist to his core, didn’t try to reinvent the wheel overnight. He focused on non-negotiables: set-piece dominance, defensive brutality, and winning the "pressure moments."

1. Fortress Set-Piece: The scrum and lineout became the non-negotiable launchpad. The work of Maro Itoje in the air and the power of Ellis Genge and the front row were paramount. Every training session at the RFU’s Pennyhill Park base, which you can get an inside look at here, drilled this relentlessly. The strategy was simple: win your ball, disrupt theirs, and play the game in the right areas of the field.

2. The Smith Experiment: One of the boldest strategic calls was the late-tournament shift of Marcus Smith to fullback. This wasn't a gimmick. It was a calculated move to add a second playmaking option, a counter-attacking threat from deep, and to alleviate some tactical kicking pressure from Farrell. It was a risk, but it spoke to a coaching group willing to adapt.

3. Defensive Wall: The defence, masterminded by Kevin Sinfield, became the team's heartbeat. It was built on relentless line speed, brutal tackling (led by the ever-present Itoje), and an almost fanatical work ethic. The mantra was to out-last and out-suffer the opposition. This wasn't about scoring 40 points; it was about conceding fewer than anyone else.

4. Leadership in Depth: While Farrell was the undoubted on-field general, Borthwick cultivated a broader leadership group. Players like Genge, Jamie George, and Courtney Lawes stepped up, ensuring the team's spirit never broke, even when points were hard to come by.

Implementation Details: The Gruelling Path Through France

The campaign unfolded in distinct, tense chapters:

The Pool Stages: Getting the Job Done
Drawn with Argentina, Japan, Chile, and Samoa, the pool was about navigation, not fireworks. The opening game against Argentina became the template: down to 14 men after three minutes, the England men's rugby team relied on that granite defence and the boot of Farrell to grind out a massive 27-10 win. It was a statement of mentality. Subsequent wins were workmanlike, with the 71-0 rout of Chile allowing for squad rotation. The stuttering 18-17 win over Samoa raised alarms, but the primary objective—topping the pool—was achieved.

The Knockouts: Where Character Was Forged
Quarter-Final vs Fiji: This was the ultimate test of the "win ugly" philosophy. England raced ahead, then watched Fiji fight back to level the game with 15 minutes to go. The ghosts of past collapses loomed. But this team, forged in adversity, found a way. A late Farrell drop goal and penalty sealed a nerve-shredding 30-24 victory. It was far from perfect, but it showcased a newfound clutch mentality.
Semi-Final vs South Africa: In one of the great World Cup matches, England played their best rugby of the Borthwick era. Their tactical kicking was pinpoint, their defence heroic. Leading 15-6 with 15 minutes to go, they were on the cusp of a monumental upset. The Springboks' power and bench depth ultimately told, with Handré Pollard's late penalty breaking English hearts 16-15. The loss was devastating, but the performance earned global respect.
Bronze Final vs Argentina: The hardest game in rugby. Emotionally spent, England could have folded. Instead, they produced a vibrant, attacking display to convincingly beat the Pumas 26-23, securing third place. It was a testament to their resilience.

Let's look at the cold, hard facts of the campaign:
Final Position: 3rd Place (Bronze Medal). Matched their finish from 2019.
Tournament Record: Played 7, Won 6, Lost 1. The sole loss was by a single point in the semi-final.
Points For/Against: Scored 196 points (Avg. 28 per game), Conceded 103 (Avg. 14.7 per game). They had the second-best defence in the tournament.
Kicking Success: Owen Farrell finished as the tournament's top point-scorer with 107 points, landing 75% of his kicks at goal.
Defensive Might: They made over 700 tackles in their knockout matches alone, with a success rate consistently above 90%.
* Set-Piece: Won 96% of their own lineouts and achieved a 90% scrum success rate on their own feed.

These numbers paint a picture of a team built on control, discipline, and defensive excellence. They didn't score the most tries, but they made themselves incredibly hard to beat.

Key Takeaways: What Does This Mean for England Rugby?

1. A Foundation of Steel: Borthwick now has a proven, battle-hardened core. The team knows it can win tight, high-pressure games against the world's best. That belief is priceless.


2. The Identity is Clear (For Now): England are a pressure-and-set-piece team. The question moving forward, especially looking towards the next Six Nations rugby championship (check out how the standings work), is how they evolve to add more attacking layers without diluting their strengths.


3. Leadership is Sorted: Farrell's captaincy, questioned by some before the tournament, was exemplary. The leadership group around him is strong and experienced.


4. The Youth is Ready: Players like Marcus Smith (in his hybrid role), Freddie Steward, and George Martin announced themselves on the world stage. The transition to the next cycle has already begun.


5. The Twickenham Fortress Mentality: The hope is that this World Cup resilience translates into a more formidable presence back at HQ. Fans will return to Twickenham Stadium expecting that same unyielding spirit.

Conclusion: Not the End, But a New Beginning

England's 2023 World Cup campaign won't be remembered for dazzling backline moves. It will be remembered for the sheer bloody-mindedness of it all. They took the hardest path, embraced the "villain" tag, and played a style that maximised their limited preparation time.

Did they get the ultimate prize? No. But they reclaimed something perhaps just as important: respect and a clear sense of direction. They proved that the Red Rose could bloom in the harshest conditions.

As the focus shifts from the fields of France back to the Autumn internationals and the looming Six Nations Championship, this campaign serves as a powerful foundation. The challenge for Steve Borthwick and his men is to build upon this base of grit, to fuse it with more attacking fluency, and to ensure that the next time they find themselves in a World Cup semi-final, they have that final, match-winning point in their locker.

The journey in France was a masterclass in tournament rugby. Now, the work continues to build a team that can win it all. For all the latest as that new chapter unfolds, stay right here in our latest news section. The story is just getting started.