England 2025/26

[Which Tyler]

I thought if he has signed for a prem team for next season then he would be but maybe I’m wrong. Hopefully AOF will be fit.

The earliest I'm aware of, for anyone else has become available after signing to the Prem was for the summer tour - wossname the over-rated kiwi 5/6 who should never have selected y Eddie

 

[Reiser99]

The earliest I'm aware of, for anyone else has become available after signing to the Prem was for the summer tour - wossname the over-rated kiwi 5/6 who should never have selected y Eddie

Shields?

 

[BPM]

Yep. For Sinckler to be eligible for the 6 Nations, he’d definitely need to be joining a Prem club now which feels unlikely.

We don’t yet know the severity of Stuart’s injury though and there’s a fair chance he misses the Nations Championship as well. If Sinckler were to sign for a Prem club for next season, he’d be eligible for those games.

I’m not sure how excited that would make me TBH? His last 15 caps or so were very underwhelming IMO. If he’s got the bit between his teeth and really wants to earn it, that’s great but I’m not desperate to have him back.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, I can't see anyone being available for the 6N based on the following season's contract because they'd miss the extra training weeks/be recalled by their club etc, which is exactly what the RFU pay the PRL extra for
Summer is different because once the season ends that's it

Will be interesting to see what happens with Sinckler - there were rumours over the summer of him going to Bath as a TdT replacement, but they've gone cold since TdT actually announced he's leaving
He's been very open about wanting a shot at the RWC side, so wouldn't be surprised to see him back in the Prem. Would Quins take him back?
Maybe Newcastle throw some cash his way?

Hell I'd take him at Sale, Harper isn't really cutting it and WGJ is a liability when he loses his rag

 

[Which Tyler]

Shields?

That sounds right

Yep. For Sinckler to be eligible for the 6 Nations, he’d definitely need to be joining a Prem club now which feels unlikely.

We don’t yet know the severity of Stuart’s injury though and there’s a fair chance he misses the Nations Championship as well. If Sinckler were to sign for a Prem club for next season, he’d be eligible for those games.

I’m not sure how excited that would make me TBH? His last 15 caps or so were very underwhelming IMO. If he’s got the bit between his teeth and really wants to earn it, that’s great but I’m not desperate to have him back.

That sounds right

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I think ‘Big Trev’ is more likely to be skipped over. He’s 33 and while he might be the next best option today, I think he’s highly unlikely to make the RWC squad at 35.

I don’t know if this will matter too much. Borthwick selected Trev ahead of Fasogbon for the Argentina tour. It would be strange for him to think that it was worth involving Davison in the summer but then deciding that he was too old and way past it 6 months later.

Spencer is also 33 and Borthwick has consistently backed him as his second choice 9. 35 is certainly on the older end of the spectrum but it’s far from impossible for people in specialist positions like front row and scrum half to make it to RWCs at that age (Cole was 36 in 2027 and he was exactly what me needed vs SA). It’s not like Trev is massively dependent on his speed and agility either, so his game shouldn’t drop off to much.

Fasogbon has a ton of potential but he also has a lot of weaknesses right now. As Olyy said, he didn’t do well in the recent A games. Personally I don’t think there’s any debate as to who would currently be better to come on and lock down the scrum for the final 25-30 minutes of games out of Fasogbon and Davison.

When our current tightheads are 29, 26 and 21 there’s just no need to force another 21 year old into the mix when he blatantly isn’t ready yet. Big Trev clearly the better option currently IMO.

 

[Geordie]

Yep. For Sinckler to be eligible for the 6 Nations, he’d definitely need to be joining a Prem club now which feels unlikely.

We don’t yet know the severity of Stuart’s injury though and there’s a fair chance he misses the Nations Championship as well. If Sinckler were to sign for a Prem club for next season, he’d be eligible for those games.

I’m not sure how excited that would make me TBH? His last 15 caps or so were very underwhelming IMO. If he’s got the bit between his teeth and really wants to earn it, that’s great but I’m not desperate to have him back.

Ruptured Achilles apparently. Season ending in some reports.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Sinckler to Red bulls?

 

[Geordie]

Solid carrier too tbf, that was what he was known for before rounding out his game this season (he came from a rugby league background, didn't play his first game of union until he was in his 20s, which is why his setpiece is a work in progress - this season the first it's looked like an asset rather than just OK)

Not as heavyweight/bulky as a Martin/traditional tighthead lock - closer to a Coles, from the current setup

I'm hoping he continues to grow into a Kruis-type tighthead lock
He's more naturally athletic than naturally a huge unit, I wouldn't want to pack a few more stone on him for the sake of it and lose his gas tank


Don't want to wax lyrical too much about him, but he's definitely been our best player this season and always shows up big even when we're playing like crap - I'm a huge fan

Hes developing nicely and i hope we see him getting some more England gametime...even if its the "A" games.
Mind I actually thought Coles showed up well in the AIs...better than i expected to be honest.

Good if we have a few lads developing to level we're looking for to challenge the top couple of locks. Especially as Itoje surely cant continue to be the machine he is...playing every minute. He looked on his knees in the last game when he was subbed.

 

[Geordie]

Sinckler to Red bulls?

If its the Sinkler who is supposedly playing well in France, then ill take him.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Honestly would be worth a marquee spot imo

TH prop and EQP

If I was falcons I would make Sinckler, Ribbsns and Moon big targets

 

[Geordie]

Honestly would be worth a marquee spot imo

TH prop and EQP

If I was falcons I would make Sinckler, Ribbsns and Moon big targets

Ribbans has just signed a new contract and is club captain isnt he. Cant see him coming back. But yeah Moon would be a good signing aswell.

 

[LIONSxv]

I think ‘Big Trev’ is more likely to be skipped over. He’s 33 and while he might be the next best option today, I think he’s highly unlikely to make the RWC squad at 35.

I’d be more inclined to go with Fasogbon or Sela. It’ll be interesting to see whether Bath turn to Sela or Griffin in Stuart’s absence. Fasogbon’s main advantage over Sela has been game time. If Sela steps in for Stuart at club level, he’ll have a better opportunity to press his case.

With the exception of France, none of the opposing scrums in the 6 Nations fill me with dread and I’d be tempted to roll the dice on one of the younger props than turn to Davison. Come the France game, AOF will probably be available (fingers crossed).

It is too soon for this crop of props, but in this scenario, I think it’s a gamble worth taking. Someone like Kloska could be an alternative, but I can’t say I’ve watched him and thought of him as a test player in waiting.

It’s a shame Paul Hill faded into obscurity and Street and Harper haven’t kicked on. Even one of them achieving their potential would have been very useful.

I don't rate any of the French props tbh. Atonio was creaking before his latest injury. They do have some weight in the pack. However in terms of actual ability I'd say props, alongside a proper open side are their weakest positions.

 

[BPM]

I don’t know if this will matter too much. Borthwick selected Trev ahead of Fasogbon for the Argentina tour. It would be strange for him to think that it was worth involving Davison in the summer but then deciding that he was too old and way past it 6 months later.

Spencer is also 33 and Borthwick has consistently backed him as his second choice 9. 35 is certainly on the older end of the spectrum but it’s far from impossible for people in specialist positions like front row and scrum half to make it to RWCs at that age (Cole was 36 in 2027 and he was exactly what me needed vs SA). It’s not like Trev is massively dependent on his speed and agility either, so his game shouldn’t drop off to much.

Fasogbon has a ton of potential but he also has a lot of weaknesses right now. As Olyy said, he didn’t do well in the recent A games. Personally I don’t think there’s any debate as to who would currently be better to come on and lock down the scrum for the final 25-30 minutes of games out of Fasogbon and Davison.

When our current tightheads are 29, 26 and 21 there’s just no need to force another 21 year old into the mix when he blatantly isn’t ready yet. Big Trev clearly the better option currently IMO.

I’m not fully convinced that’s the case re. Spencer. I’d say he’s been second choice largely as a result of there being no decent/available alternatives.

JvP looked to be preferred understudy to Mitchell until he picked up a series of poorly timed injuries that either meant he was unavailable or unable to build a run of form in the run up to squads being selected.

At club level, Spencer is definitely the better player but he’s looked ponderous at test level. I thought he was decent in Argentina but on the whole, he’s been a shadow of the Bath version. JvP has been a bit of a mixed bag but I’d argue he’s looked better at test level than Spencer.

Fasogbon has had a quieter start to this season but so has Davison. For an isolated game tomorrow, I’d pick ‘Big Trev’ but I think there’s next to no chance he makes the RWC squad. Fasogbon has a much better chance of doing so, so it feels like a more logical choice to start building his experience.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I’m not fully convinced that’s the case re. Spencer. I’d say he’s been second choice largely as a result of there being no decent/available alternatives.

JvP looked to be preferred understudy to Mitchell until he picked up a series of poorly timed injuries that either meant he was unavailable or unable to build a run of form in the run up to squads being selected.

At club level, Spencer is definitely the better player but he’s looked ponderous at test level. I thought he was decent in Argentina but on the whole, he’s been a shadow of the Bath version. JvP has been a bit of a mixed bag but I’d argue he’s looked better at test level than Spencer.

Fasogbon has had a quieter start to this season but so has Davison. For an isolated game tomorrow, I’d pick ‘Big Trev’ but I think there’s next to no chance he makes the RWC squad. Fasogbon has a much better chance of doing so, so it feels like a more logical choice to start building his experience.

I've found it weird how Spencer's form for England is so different to his club form, even at the same time. It feels like he's being told to play a controlling game for England, which he does for Bath but at Bath it's instinctive, he will still have a go when it seems on. With England it almost feels like he's been told to not do that and only look to go through 2 or 3 phases then kick and that's it. Almost like the entire buildup is in preparation for kicking from the start rather than it being something you do when not making progress.