Steve Borthwick had identified Guy Pepper as a player worth watching long before he took the England head coach job in December 2022. According to BBC Sport, Pepper's talent was first spotted by Borthwick when the former Scotland number eight recommended him. Borthwick watched Pepper play for Newcastle in 2023 and was impressed with his performance despite only playing 30 minutes.
Since then, Pepper has established himself as a key player for Newcastle, helping the team to become league champions in the 2023-24 season. He also made an impressive series of appearances for Bath in the Premiership, where he won the Player of the Match award in two consecutive semi-finals and finals.
Pepper's growth into one of England's best back-row players has been remarkable, but it wasn't always easy for him. At just six years old, Pepper had to stop playing due to arthritis and is still under treatment for an ongoing issue with his right ankle. However, he remains committed to his sport and continues to work hard.
Borthwick believes that Pepper's development over the past year has been rapid, citing his ability to stick to a professional training regimen and perform at 110%. The England head coach is now looking forward to seeing how Pepper will do against Australia on Saturday.
Since then, Pepper has established himself as a key player for Newcastle, helping the team to become league champions in the 2023-24 season. He also made an impressive series of appearances for Bath in the Premiership, where he won the Player of the Match award in two consecutive semi-finals and finals.
Pepper's growth into one of England's best back-row players has been remarkable, but it wasn't always easy for him. At just six years old, Pepper had to stop playing due to arthritis and is still under treatment for an ongoing issue with his right ankle. However, he remains committed to his sport and continues to work hard.
Borthwick believes that Pepper's development over the past year has been rapid, citing his ability to stick to a professional training regimen and perform at 110%. The England head coach is now looking forward to seeing how Pepper will do against Australia on Saturday.
I'm loving how far Guy Pepper has come! It's amazing to see someone overcome some tough health issues and still manage to dominate the pitch 
. His growth as a player has been insane, especially considering he had to stop playing at just 6 years old 
. The fact that Steve Borthwick believed in him from the start is a testament to Pepper's talent, but also his dedication and work ethic 
. I'm so stoked to see what's next for England vs Australia on Saturday - can't wait to see Pepper shine once again! 
. Like, 6 years old and already dealing with arthritis, that's no joke! But the kid is super dedicated and has worked hard to overcome those obstacles 
. I'm curious to see how he'll do against Australia on Saturday, but either way, it's awesome to see Pepper getting the recognition he deserves 
.
Guy Pepper is like the real deal, right? He's been through so much already, from having to stop playing at six years old due to arthritis 
to still being under treatment for his ankle issues now. And yet he's still crushing it on the pitch and winning awards left and right 
! The fact that Borthwick spotted him all those years ago is just amazing. I mean, what a coach, always on the lookout for talent and giving people a chance to shine. Pepper's rapid development over the past year is insane, though - 110% effort? That's dedication for you 
. It just goes to show that if you're passionate about something, you can overcome so much to achieve your dreams 
. I'm super excited for the match against Australia on Saturday - gotta see Pepper in action! 
. Now, I'm excited to see how he'll perform against Australia on Saturday and if Borthwick's high expectations will be met 
. The future of English rugby looks bright with players like Pepper leading the charge 
!
! He's got skills for days, though - that Player of the Match award at Bath was no fluke 
. England's lucky to have him on board, and I'm excited to see how he'll do against Australia on Sat 
And now he's part of England's squad, competing against Australia on Saturday? That's huge! Can't wait to see how he performs 
? Like, isn't six years old the new 'old' these days? And 30 minutes of playing time at Newcastle was apparently enough for Steve Borthwick to think Pepper's got what it takes 
. I guess that's one way to spot talent... from a distance 
. Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how Pepper handles the Aussie team, but let's not forget he's still dealing with ongoing health issues 
. Can't wait to watch him try to keep up 
!
. The fact that he had to stop playing at 6 due to arthritis but still came back stronger is truly inspiring 
. The lad's dedication to his sport and his own health is really admirable, you know? I mean, he's still under treatment for an ankle issue, but he keeps grinding away 
. It'll be sick to see him take on Australia on Saturday! England fans are gonna go wild 
. but what im really curious about is how he'll handle the physicality of international rugby - his ankle issues have to be a concern 