Steve Borthwick row leaves England red-faced as Bristol stands firm while Eddie Jones moves for Alex King

Former England captain reunites with Jones after working alongside the Australian with Japan at the 2015 Rugby World Cup but Bristol have not agreed to release him

Steve Borthwick has been named England forwards coach (Getty Images)

England’s brave new era under new head coach Eddie Jones got off to an embarrassing start yesterday when the Rugby Football Union announced Steve Borthwick’s appointment as forwards coach without reaching an agreement with his employers, Bristol Rugby, for his release.

It is understood that Borthwick, who joined Bristol only in November, has walked out on the club and left the RFU and Bristol to sort out the details. However, the Championship club issued a strongly worded statement yesterday insisting they had refused the RFU permission to speak to the former England captain and denied they had agreed to let him leave.

The Bristol statement read: “Steve Borthwick has today indicated to the club that he wishes to join the RFU coaching team. Bristol Rugby want to make it clear that we have not agreed that Steve Borthwick can leave our employment. Steve Borthwick is subject to a recently signed long-term employment contract. Bristol Rugby did not give the RFU permission to speak with Steve Borthwick.

“Bristol Rugby will take all reasonable actions as necessary to protect the club’s position and, therefore, will not be making any further statement at this stage.”

However, officials at the RFU were confident that they had got their man, saying in a statement: “The RFU can announce Steve Borthwick has agreed to join Eddie Jones’ coaching staff. The former England captain will join the national set-up as forwards coach.”

Yesterday Borthwick, whose contract with Bristol was until the end of next season, reacted as though nothing was amiss. Speaking of his England appointment, he said: “This is a huge honour to be asked as these chances don’t come around often. We have an exciting group of players in England and I am really looking forward to the challenge and getting England beating the best teams in the world.”

Steve Borthwick worked with Japan under Eddie Jones's reign at the Rugby World Cup (Getty Images)

The announcement that Borthwick had followed Jones into the England set-up did not come as a surprise, given the 36-year-old worked under the Australian’s tenure with the Japan national team at the autumn World Cup. Having masterminded the stunning 34-32 defeat of South Africa in the pool stage, Japan narrowly missed out on progressing to the quarter-finals.

Jones departed to take up a role with South African outfit the Stormers while Borthwick headed back to the West Country, having previously played his rugby with Bath.

However, Jones was persuaded to take up the vacant head coach role with England after Stuart Lancaster was sacked, and Borthwick immediately emerged as the leading candidate to fill one of the vacancies on his coaching staff – something that became a lot clearer when Andy Farrell, Graham Rowntree and Mike Catt were dismissed from their existing posts on Monday.

Borthwick’s former Saracens team-mate Paul Gustard is expected to decide today whether he will remain a part of the Premiership champions’ backroom staff or take up a new role with the national team offered to him since Jones’ appointment.

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder yesterday confirmed that the Saints attack coach, Alex King, will this week meet Jones, who is keen to recruit King as England’s backs coach. The 40-year-old is highly rated after spells with Clermont Auvergne and Northampton.

Mallinder admits that the situation is far from ideal for Saints but says the club will not stand in King’s way if he wants to switch.

“We’ve had no official approach from the RFU, but I am aware that Alex is going to have a conversation with Eddie Jones some time this week,” Mallinder said. “It’s not ideal – middle of the season, distractions with the thought of losing one of your best coaches – but we know what happens nowadays.

“If a job becomes available for Alex, then as a club we wouldn’t stand in his way.”

Mallinder added: “Alex has told me there’s been some form of communication. I’m not annoyed. They will have a chat, and it is only a chat. There’s no formal job offer and Alex doesn’t know quite what the job entails, so it’s an unknown as yet.”

King joined Northampton in 2013 after learning his trade with Clermont under the stewardship of Joe Schmidt, who is now Ireland’s head coach, and Vern Cotter, who is in charge of Scotland.