The Rugby Football Union has no immediate intention to open discussions about extending Steve Borthwick’s England contract beyond the 2027 World Cup, despite the team’s strong recent form. England have won 11 Tests in a row — including notable victories over France and New Zealand — and completed their first autumn clean sweep since 2021, a sharp turnaround after a difficult 2024 that saw seven consecutive defeats to tier-one nations. That run has left England entering the Six Nations as genuine title contenders.
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said talks about a post-2027 deal have not started and are not planned “in the foreseeable future,” calling any conversation on the issue premature. He stressed the union remains happy with the current direction under Borthwick, praising the building of squad depth and the team’s style of play. Sweeney noted that Borthwick was appointed after an extensive selection process and that the RFU had confidence in his ability; while every coach faces pressure, he said Borthwick was never in a position of unmanageable risk and is now proving his credentials.
Twickenham crowds and stadium plans
Twickenham has drawn near-capacity crowds as England defeated Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina this month, but the RFU wants to increase non-rugby activity at the stadium to boost revenue. Sweeney recently met Richmond Council interim chief executive Andrew Travers as the RFU prepares a planning application — for a proposed £650m redevelopment of Twickenham — due to be submitted in May. Sweeney said additional events are necessary to justify such an investment and to keep the venue competitive, adding that the RFU’s preferred outcome is to remain at Twickenham.
The RFU highlighted its economic contribution, saying it injects more than £90m into the local economy and well over £100m into the wider London economy. If extra event permissions are not granted, the union has identified alternatives, including joint ventures with Wembley and using venues in Birmingham, describing contingency plans as sensible risk management.
Financial snapshot
For the 2024-25 financial year the RFU reported a small net loss of £1.9m, a significant improvement on the £42m loss the previous year (which included the 2023 World Cup). Total revenue rose to £228m from £175m, marking the second-highest annual intake for the union after 2015-16.