England defence coach Kevin Sinfield says "friendship and memories" are more important than "money and medals" as he looks to help turn around the side.

The ex-rugby league great says he is "honoured and delighted" to be involved and has laid out his vision for the national team.

"This is a wonderful opportunity," Sinfield told BBC Sport.

"We will provide an environment where there is clarity, but also there is a togetherness and a fight and a spirit where they look after each other and care for each other, and that is really important to us."

Sinfield has embodied that sense of togetherness and spirit through his fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease charities, after his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate and great friend Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the condition in 2019.

Sinfield has raised over £7m through his extraordinary fundraising efforts, last November running seven marathons in seven days and covering more than 300 miles.

"Over the last couple of years I have understood that we are not here for a long time and you've got to make the best of it," he explained.

"How you spend your time and where you spend your time, and what you go after is the bits that are important. Now I spend a lot of my time trying to help a lot of people and I get a real buzz out of that.

"I have probably changed the last couple of years, some of that is down to my good mate Rob Burrow, but I have really enjoyed coaching a lot more than I thought I would and to be able to work with Steve in this environment is incredible."

After a glittering career with Great Britain, England and the Leeds Rhinos, Sinfield retired from playing in 2017 before moving to Welford Road as a coach in 2020 and says the satisfaction gleaned from coaching has even trumped playing.

"I think when you finish playing you are looking for something to fill that void and give you that fulfilment," he added.

"I think at times it is probably more fulfilling than playing. Because I think when you are helping someone be better, it is a far greater gift than doing it yourself and you get a lot more reward from it."

Sinfield was the Rhinos' most successful captain in their history - winning seven Super League titles - and says the bonds formed during that period are still as strong as ever, something he wants to see replicated with England.

"We need to have a system, we need to understand each other's roles within that, we need to understand within that we will get stuff wrong, we need to understand there are some brilliant attacks out there that will be able to manipulate our defence," he explained.

"But the bit where you help your mate is going to be so important to us.

"That is what my playing career gave me. I was with an unbelievable group of players who are great friends. I want these guys to feel what I have been fortunate enough to feel.

"Hopefully they don't have to go through what I have had to go through with Rob for them to feel that.

"But I think if they can understand that the things that are important in your career - you can have a load of money and a load of medals but ultimately the friendship and the memories are what is really, really important."

Sinfield and Borthwick have little time to waste, with England's Six Nations opener against Scotland on 4 February.

The pair have met some of the England players this week at conditioning camps in Liverpool and Gloucester, with Sinfield encouraged by what he has seen as he embarks on the biggest challenge of his short coaching career.

"I think they are hungry, I've seen that over the last few days," he said.

"I've sat in front of them and seen the sparkle in their eyes.

"I am learning every day and I don't think that ever stops. To have Steve's support, to have the support of our management team and our coaching team, to have the support of our players - there is so much knowledge and rugby intelligence in our players, and I need to tap into that too.

"To see the calibre of players we have available is really exciting."