New defensive coach Joe El Abd believes the success of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United shows why England could benefit from the recent upheaval of Steve Borthwick’s backroom staff.
El-Abd took over from Felix Jones after the Irishman, who helped South Africa win the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, unexpectedly tendered his resignation last August.
Borthwick’s long-time friend and former Bristol and Toulon flanker El-Abd will take charge of England’s defense while continuing in his role as director of rugby at Oyonnax until the end of the season.
Jones’ desire to leave after nine months on the job and the sudden departure of strength and conditioning director Alled Walters last month sent shockwaves throughout camp.
Kevin Sinfield, who originally joined Borthwick as defense coach at Leicester Tigers, was demoted to skills/kicking coach for this year’s Six Nations and was announced to leave after the summer’s tour of New Zealand, but remains for now.
Despite the turmoil, El-Abd insists England can still prosper with Borthwick continuing to provide a platform.
“Coaching stability is important and helpful,” he said.
“But I think coaching cohesion is more important because if everyone is on the same page, we can ask each other hard questions: What are we good at? What are we not good at?
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England’s new defensive coach El-Abd is impressed by the ‘exciting’ group of players he has to work with.
“I’m looking forward to creating that stability. You see it in football, you see it in rugby. It’s important to have a cohesive coaching team. But does that mean there won’t be any changes? No.
“Take Alex Ferguson as an example. He stayed for a long time and was quite successful. He didn’t always have the same coach. It very rarely lasted more than three or four years.
“But he stayed and he knew he had a Manchester United identity and that’s the most important thing. If we can create a cohesion together as a coaching group, I think it’s a positive thing to help players develop further.”
El-Abd joined the England squad following the shock resignation of Felix Jones (pictured).
El-Abd was reluctant to use his predecessor’s term for the attacking system that came to fruition during the summer tours to Japan and New Zealand, but indicated England would continue with Jones’ ‘blitz’ defence.
The Rugby Football Union claims Jones is contributing to England remotely while serving his 12-month notice period, with negotiations over his departure taking place in the background.
“I had a really good conversation with Felix, over video call. He was really, really helpful.” said El-Abd, who was keen to highlight Sinfield’s influence on the defense before Jones took over.
“The DNA of English rugby is tenacity, being strong off the line and having a strong forward unit.
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Sky Sports reporter James Cole explains who England’s new defensive coach El Abd is and what he can bring to the team.
El-Abd recently joined Borthwick’s England backroom staff but will remain with Oyonnax as director of rugby until the end of the season.
“We’re going to take what was really good. There were a lot of really good things over the last few years, not just the last eight games, and we’re going to build on that.”
El-Abd lived with Borthwick during college and attended each other’s wedding as part of their 26-year friendship. After the shock of Jones and Walters exiting, his arrival appears timely.
“In any coaching environment, you need people who are loyal and committed, and you need people who buy in,” he said.
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