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In his latest column for BBC Sport, England World Cup winner Matt Dawson reflects on Steve Borthwick’s side’s unblemished autumn campaign and posits that a Grand Slam should be the next objective.
Can England realistically contend for a Grand Slam?
That’s the question I believe every England player should be asking themselves as they look ahead to next year’s Six Nations Championship.
England should set their sights on achieving a Grand Slam before the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Following victories against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina this autumn, pursuing a Grand Slam feels like the logical progression.
While it isn’t necessarily a prerequisite for winning a World Cup, it provides invaluable experience in performing under pressure in must-win scenarios, a mentality crucial for securing major titles.
The away fixtures in the 2026 Six Nations, particularly against Scotland and France – where England have historically struggled – will be a genuine test of Steve Borthwick’s team’s capabilities.
While not the ultimate measure, achieving a Grand Slam would serve as another significant milestone for the players to reflect upon.
Undoubtedly, the squad will aspire to claim the medal, the trophy, the photograph, and the distinction on their Wikipedia profiles as Grand Slam champions.
Even if not explicitly stated, I believe cultivating that ambition is essential.
This group will view a Grand Slam as a vital stepping stone towards greater success and significant momentum heading into 2027.
England completed their first clean sweep of autumn Tests since 2016.
This autumn, each of the four opponents presented unique challenges, and England consistently found a way to get the job done.
Having that problem-solving ability ingrained in their collective memory will be crucial.
The positive momentum continues, and even with an 11-game winning streak, Borthwick maintains his meticulous attention to detail.
The development of his coaching staff has been exceptional, and he deserves considerable praise at this time.
It’s clear that this England team has evolved and improved over the past two years.
The style of rugby is markedly different, and they are becoming a formidable opponent.
Borthwick will relish developing both the squad and himself, as his playing career was defined by attention to detail.
He possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of the line-out, and he is now applying that same level of clarity to every facet of the game.
I anticipate that he will now analyze what happens to teams that achieve sustained success.
He will examine American football, soccer, cricket, and other rugby teams to understand how they maintain winning streaks and ultimately secure major championships.
He is someone who constantly seeks to absorb and learn. He is incapable of complacency. He will pursue those incremental gains that the players may not even perceive.
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A potential pitfall is when teams reach their peak performance in the middle of a World Cup cycle.
We have witnessed this before. However, New Zealand and South Africa have both won consecutive World Cups and have maintained their status as the best team in the world for extended periods.
Being the top-ranked team in the world leading up to 2027 is not necessarily a disadvantage.
If England can improve their rankings by winning a Six Nations or Nations Championship and establish themselves as number one or two, they will be well-positioned to reach a World Cup final. That is the ultimate objective.
People often talk about peaking too early, but I hold a different perspective. These are the moments to accumulate valuable experience, and if it involves a winning streak, then so be it.
England are unlikely to remain undefeated until the World Cup, and learning how to recover from defeat is an integral part of the process.
In a sense, I would like England to experience a loss at some point, as the worst scenario would be their first defeat occurring in a World Cup knockout match.
England have demonstrated complete control this autumn and have proven their ability to win in challenging circumstances.
Following the emotional high of the victory against New Zealand was always going to be difficult, and in 2019, they were far from able to replicate that famous semi-final performance.
However, they demonstrated against Argentina that they are capable of doing so.
If they deliver a strong performance, for example, at Murrayfield, the challenge will be to maintain that level the following week.
When a team is on a winning streak, they can concentrate on the finer details, whereas previously, the focus was on selection, style of play, or injuries.
England no longer need to worry about these issues; their focus is now on refining the small adjustments that elevate a team to the highest level.
Sir Clive Woodward referred to these as the “one percenters,” the subtle refinements that make all the difference.
Successful teams have established the fundamentals, which allows coaches to dedicate time to other aspects.
Many of the current England squad have never had the opportunity to focus on these smaller elements.
This is why Ireland and France have achieved long winning streaks.
Now that England have learned how to win matches, they can develop further to compete at the top of the Six Nations.
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