Sir Clive Woodward: Steve Borthwick can crack All Blacks code for Lions

The Lions' new forward coach Steve Borthwick, could help crack the All Blacks code writes rugby legend Sir Clive Woodward. Photo / Photosport

Time is always the enemy with the Lions. When it comes to coaching, there is so little time to develop or experiment.

Generally a head coach must go with tried-and-tested coaches - individuals he trusts implicitly.

So the inclusion of Rob Howley, Andy Farrell and Neil Jenkins is predictable.

Howley has worked with Warren Gatland since his appointment with Wales in 2008 and played for him at Wasps. He has toured twice with the Lions as a player and was a key member of staff in Australia in 2013.

Farrell worked closely with Gatland three years ago in Australia and they clearly got on well.

Continuity is welcome and these two appointments were pretty well signposted, as was that of Jenkins, who again will look after the kickers.

With Steve Borthwick, it is slightly different. Steve is a brilliant lineout technician whose recent coaching record with Japan and England under Eddie Jones speaks for itself.

If anybody can crack the New Zealand calls and find ways of disrupting their possession in a phase where they are massively strong - with Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock and Kieran Read - it is Borthwick.

From an England point of view it is a good selection.

In the short term it means that one of the key men in the England camp spends all of next summer getting to grips with New Zealand rugby looking for ways to beat the All Blacks. That must be a benefit for England.

In the long term there will come a time when the RFU are looking for a successor to Eddie Jones, so it is important that there are some English candidates with wide-ranging international experience.

It is reported that Ben Ryan, who guided Fiji to Olympic gold, is being enlisted by Gatland. Again time is the issue. There just isn't the time to teach an old dog new tricks on a quickfire Lions tour so I wouldn't take extra coaches with just that in mind.

What you can do is identify inspirational, sparky, motivated coaches and individuals who can add to the buzz and intensity of the tour party.

There are always players with short-term injuries who need to be kept active and involved and it could well be that Ryan could do that, bringing in fresh training and handling routines and honing the skills that already exist.