English rugby ‘crying out for alignment’ to help come out of ‘survival mode’

As the four men plot a route to the Twickenham final at the end of the month, all agree picking a team at this stage of the season, and delivering bad news to those who miss out, is one of the hardest parts of the job.

“If you care for the players, then you are going to have four or five tough conversations a week,” said Sanderson.

“You are going to wreck some dreams come the end of the season. Everyone wants to be on the field and you have to do what is right for the team.”

Sanderson also reflected on conversations with players about them moving on at the end of the season.

“I didn’t realise until I actually got there that it hurts,” he said. “And I’m glad it hurts, because it shows I’m still human. The day that is stops hurting is the day to do something different.”

McCall said: “I would have said that is the hardest part of the job, for sure.

“Especially this time of year when there are a lot of people who could be in your 23, and you can only pick 23. You are breaking some hearts. Equally, stopping someone’s career as well, which in this day and age we are having to do more and more.”

Wigglesworth, who was given the Leicester job in December after Borthwick and Kevin Sinfield left to join England, has had to switch mid-season from being a player to being the main man.

“I’m new to it, and I think the group I’ve got have been incredibly mindful of my inexperience in that,” he said.

“I’ve tried to be honest because that’s the best way I know how. I’ve tried to do it with some skill, achieved it some times and not in others, but I’ve been really lucky with the group I’ve got, because they’ve had a lot of empathy for me and the role I’ve taken on.”

Dowson added: “I’m also having those horrible conversations with people I’ve played alongside. I would like to think I have a strong enough relationship with the guys in that situation to be really honest. It is just an unfortunate and occasionally uncomfortable part of the job.”

“I was chucked out of the players’ WhatsApp group pretty sharpish,” laughed Wigglesworth.

“It was just after the first game as head coach. We beat Gloucester and then I was kicked out!”