England rugby union head coach Steve Borthwick and members of his staff visited the Red Arrows to share experiences of teamwork and high-performance.
The group joined the team during a busy winter training day at RAF Waddington, with preparations underway for the 2026 display season.
The visit allowed mutual learning, focusing on developing high-performing teams, precision under pressure and the pursuit of continuous improvement – core themes shared by both organisations.
It follows a successful 2025 season for the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team and a strong Autumn Internationals Series for the England men’s rugby side.
Steve Borthwick said: “The England coaching team is here to learn from the Red Arrows - an elite-performing team and certainly an organisation we can take so many lessons from.
“There are so many parallels we could talk about: teamwork, understanding each other, the ability to take on lessons, to debrief, and to be crystal clear on what needs to improve and action it immediately.
“In elite sport, our ability to improve faster than anybody else is going to be key for us.
“Ultimately, we want the players to be in the best position possible to deliver wins for England, and it’s been great to learn how the Red Arrows approach their processes.”
As part of the day spent with the Red Arrows, the coaching staff got to join the pilots for a post-flight debrief – a detailed and honest, no-blame session, where team members review each display and are encouraged to highlight areas for improvement.
Squadron Leader Jon Bond, Team Leader and Red 1, said the opportunity had brought value to both parties.
He said: “It’s been great to have the England rugby coaching team with us to share their experience and practices while we deliver winter training here at RAF Waddington.
“There are lots of parallels we can draw between the two units — the teamwork, the skill, the precision, all striving for the common goal to be the best that we can be.”
He added: “It’s been really interesting to explore how both teams cope under pressure and deliver results, whether it’s during a match for England or during a display for us in a constantly changing operational environment.
“Whether it’s weather conditions, jet serviceability, or for England, a change in tactics from the opposition, it’s all about how we adapt and then execute the game plan to achieve our goals.”
