England’s preparations have also been affected by the Prem schedule, with players involved in Sunday’s fixtures having less time for full squad training.
“We had a session today really that was affected obviously by the fact that we had a Sunday game in Prem Rugby,” Borthwick explained.
“Fortunately, we don’t have any Sunday games this coming week in Prem Rugby, which I’m pleased about.
“So that should allow players to be recovered in a proper run into the Test match.”
Borthwick acknowledged the challenge of balancing club and international commitments, but said playing at the weekend could benefit England.
“They’ll go back and play the rugby and in so many ways that will be a positive for us for next weekend,” he said.
“The players are match fit at club level, playing regularly at club level, and as long as they don’t get injured, then they’re all available for selection next week, then that will be positive.
“I’d say on one side, I think it’s a real strength of English rugby that the players have such great loyalty and passion for their clubs as we saw very evidently in this last round with the derbies that went on.
“They are team-mates and best of mates the next day for a couple of days [with England] and then they go back to being rivals again until they come back into camp next week.”
Borthwick also identified the breakdown as an area where England need to adapt to the demands of international rugby.
He pointed to the recent European fixtures, in which English clubs collectively lost more of their own breakdown ball and won less opposition breakdown ball than teams from other competing nations.
“Part of my job is identify those bits of where I need to bridge from where the players are in Prem rugby to where they are in Test rugby,” he said.
“The level of competition [at the breakdown] is at a different level in Test rugby.”
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