Advertisement
England head coach Steve Borthwick had the luxury of choosing from strength when he named his first squad for the Men’s Guinness Six Nations. Borthwick’s team are rising fast, and on recent form should be challenging France and Ireland for the title. He has named a 36-player squad for a week’s training in Girona in Spain, plus five players who will continue their rehabilitation.
England head coach Steve Borthwick had the luxury of choosing from strength when he named his first squad for the Men’s Guinness Six Nations. Borthwick’s team are rising fast, and on recent form should be challenging France and Ireland for the title. He has named a 36-player squad for a week’s training in Girona in Spain, plus five players who will continue their rehabilitation.
England’s squad will meet on Sunday after the conclusion of Round 10 of Gallagher PREM Rugby, and head out to begin their preparations. They open their campaign at Allianz Stadium on Saturday 7 February, against Wales, then travel to Murrayfield for a Valentine’s Day clash against Scotland, and then close the first block back at home, against Ireland.
After that are two trips to the continent, first to Rome to take on Italy, and then to Paris where they face defending champions France at the Stade de France.
Borthwick’s biggest issue is at tight-head prop, where Lions test cap Will Stuart and the young pretender Asher Opoku-Fordjour both ruled out of the Championship. Leicester Tiger’s Joe Heyes, who was second choice behind Stuart in 2025 is likely to start, and then it is either Northampton Saints’ vet Trevor Davison or Bath’s youngster Vilikesa Sela to cover.
IN AT THREE
Otherwise, Borthwick has kept pretty to much as expected. Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie are likely to battle over the starting hooker jersey, though in light of George’s retirement announcement earlier in the week, it will be indicative of Borthwick’s thinking by how much gametime his gives his third wheel, Theo Dan.
Likewise in the second row, where Arthur Clark has been called up after impressing for Gloucester, but with expectations high where does the chance to see how he plays come, apart from the opener against a struggling Wales? As such, expect captain Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum and Alex Coles to carve up the two starting and one bench roles, unless Chessum starts on the flank.
Argentina
New Zealand
Fiji
Australia
EnglandIt is in the backrow where discussion become more interesting. Greg Fisilau’s call up gives him the first shout of filling the Tom Willis-shaped hole at number eight, but will Borthwick give him a start against Wales? Ben Earl has done little wrong when called upon there, and it also depends on the balance across the backrow. Or is time we see Henry Pollock trusted from the start?
CHOICES, CHOICES…
Ollie Lawrence’s initial absence opens at gap at outside-centre but also questions across the three-quarter line.
Will he move Max Ojomoh out one place, after he impressed against Argentina? Or bring Tommy Freeman off the wing as he done so for Northampton Saints? But then wouldn’t it be better if he teamed up with Saints captain Fraser Dingwall who played well in November? Oh, then there is Henry Slade playing magnificently for Exeter Chiefs right now.
Of course, what Borthwick does to his centres will affect his back three choices. If Freeman plays centre where does the aerial threat come on the wing with Tom Roebuck out? Could we see Henry Arundell start on the wing with Freddie Steward at fullback, and then switch and swap depending on the phase of the game?
Wait, whose this? Goerge Furbank? The George Furbank who appeared set to be England’s long-term, second creator fullback? The George Furbank who then fell to injury and has struggled for gametime to the extent he’s been linked with a move away from Northampton? Then there’s Seb Atkinson, someone who was identified to fill the hole at inside centre, before Dingwall and Ojomoh grabbed their chances while he was injured.
“We’ve picked a squad with a good balance of experience, leadership and exciting potential,” Borthwick said. Course you have, but that’s because your cup spilleth over in most positions. Apart from playing their final match away to the title holders, there is little to suggest that England shouldn’t have a crack at a grand slam title come 14 March. They have the personnel to do so, they just have to make sure they’ve put themselves in contention by the time they jump on Eurostar.