The key to England’s recent success? Harnessing Gen Z
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Gavin Mairs Sat, 14 February 2026 at 6:02 am UTC·9 min read Steve Borthwick this week read a quote from Australia cricket great Steve Smith to his players ahead of their Calcutta Cup match against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday. No, not the one where Smith apologised to his parents and the whole of Australia for his failure of leadership in the 2018 sandpaper-gate scandal, but one that sheds a light on the rapidly changing mindset of this England squad. And how Borthwick has had to adjust his own coaching intuitions to bring the best out of his players.Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The quote from which Borthwick has drawn inspiration is from when Smith – who stood in for the...