Joe El-Abd has taken the reins as England's new defence coach, succeeding , and he has made it clear that his approach will focus on evolution rather than a complete overhaul. El-Abd, who has a long-standing relationship with head coach , emphasized that while he respects the existing strategies, he will be moving away from the "B-word" terminology that has been used in the camp.
Following a tumultuous summer for the England team, which saw the departures of Jones, , and from the coaching staff, Borthwick turned to El-Abd, a trusted colleague of 26 years. In his initial training camp, El-Abd highlighted the values of loyalty and commitment, indicating that he intends to build on the promising aspects of Jones's blitz defence strategy rather than discard it entirely.
El-Abd's focus will be on refining and enhancing the existing framework, ensuring that the team continues to progress while maintaining the core principles that have shown success in recent matches.
Question 1: Who has taken over as England's defence coach after Felix Jones?
Joe El-Abd has taken over as England's defence coach after Felix Jones.
Question 2: What approach does Joe El-Abd intend to take regarding the existing defence strategy?
Joe El-Abd intends to focus on evolution rather than revolution, meaning he will build on the existing strategies rather than completely overhaul them.
Question 3: What specific terminology will El-Abd avoid using in his coaching?
El-Abd will avoid using the term "blitz" in his coaching terminology.
Question 4: What qualities did El-Abd emphasize as important in his coaching philosophy?
El-Abd emphasized the importance of "loyalty" and "commitment" in his coaching philosophy.
Question 5: How long has Steve Borthwick known Joe El-Abd?
Steve Borthwick has known Joe El-Abd for 26 years.