England 2025/26

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Fin Smith likely to miss start of six nations.

Fin Smith: Calf injury puts Six Nations start at risk

Northampton fly-half Fin Smith is suffering with a calf strain that may put him out of England's Six Nations opener against Wales.

www.bbc.co.uk

Was probably out of favour due to Ford leading sales impressive form and fantastic attack or smith on the bench because Quins are showing how to close games out properly.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Who's gonna clean Ford's boots now? And fetch his coffee for him?

Six Nations is gone now

 

[Saintjay]

Tough one Fords the Chuck Norris of rugby.

Wonder if Steve will be tempted to bring a northern coffee fetcher in from the cold. One with a penchant for playing 12.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

 

[NickBD]

Just got an alert from the BBC Asher is out of the 6N. I thought it was possible as we've not seen him in a while. RFU need to make a quick call to Tigers and beg them to rest Hayes for the next 2 or 3 games. Sucks for Asher though because this was his break out moment.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Just got an alert from the BBC Asher is out of the 6N. I thought it was possible as we've not seen him in a while. RFU need to make a quick call to Tigers and beg them to rest Hayes for the next 2 or 3 games. Sucks for Asher though because this was his break out moment.

Gutted. Would have loved to see him get the experience/development of playing a full series off the bench.

Think Davison will come into the 18 shirt and (perhaps a little controversially) I’d be bringing Sela into the squad over Fasgbon. Feel Sela is a little more rounded at the moment.

 

[NickBD]

It'll be Davison for a quick fix, question is who is the young 3rd option as you say most likely out of Fasgbon or Sela or maybe both. Marcus Street maybe the wild card. I know some will ask about Sinkler because of rumours he is coming back next season sadly before this story broke Toulon confirm he will still be there in 2027.

 

[BPM]

Given Davison and Fasogbon were on the summer tour, I think they’re the likely options. However, on form Sela has the edge over Fasogbon.

Street is a bit of a wildcard but he does seem rejuvenated after his move to Saracens so he might be in the running.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah I'd definitely take Sela over Fasogbon for the youngster spot

 

[OllyM97]

Here we f*****g go again. Honestly I’m just bored of how England always get absolutely whacked by injuries before every 6 Nations. Year after Year it’s the same problem. Is there any wonder we always start the Championship slowly when half our first choice team is normally crocked by the time the first match comes around?. All teams get some injuries, but for as long as I can remember, and certainly over the last 15-20 years, it feels like injuries have been a dominant narrative for us going into most 6 Nations’ in that time - sorry, but that’s not normal. All teams get injuries, and some years you’ll have a higher injury toll than usual. The problem with England is that we have a long-term, consistent trend of massive injury lists before tournaments. We’ve only won the 6N 4 times since 2003 and I genuinely believe that the club game is responsible for that with how much rugby our top players play.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

That’s rough. Doubly as it’s a new shoulder injury suffered in training, not the elbow that had kept him out.

But these are the kind of things that can happen and knowing how your 3rd, 4th or even 5th choices stack up has to be part of the planning for any RWC.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Here we f*****g go again. Honestly I’m just bored of how England always get absolutely whacked by injuries before every 6 Nations. Year after Year it’s the same problem. Is there any wonder we always start the Championship slowly when half our first choice team is normally crocked by the time the first match comes around?. All teams get some injuries, but for as long as I can remember, and certainly over the last 15-20 years, it feels like injuries have been a dominant narrative for us going into most 6 Nations’ in that time - sorry, but that’s not normal. All teams get injuries, and some years you’ll have a higher injury toll than usual. The problem with England is that we have a long-term, consistent trend of massive injury lists before tournaments. We’ve only won the 6N 4 times since 2003 and I genuinely believe that the club game is responsible for that with how much rugby our top players play.

The welsh players seem to get injured as well.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

The welsh players seem to get injured as well.

That's probably down to their desire to not see England beating them at anything. "Oh YOU think you have injury problems boyo? I'll show you injury problems!"

 

[BPM]

Here we f*****g go again. Honestly I’m just bored of how England always get absolutely whacked by injuries before every 6 Nations. Year after Year it’s the same problem. Is there any wonder we always start the Championship slowly when half our first choice team is normally crocked by the time the first match comes around?. All teams get some injuries, but for as long as I can remember, and certainly over the last 15-20 years, it feels like injuries have been a dominant narrative for us going into most 6 Nations’ in that time - sorry, but that’s not normal. All teams get injuries, and some years you’ll have a higher injury toll than usual. The problem with England is that we have a long-term, consistent trend of massive injury lists before tournaments. We’ve only won the 6N 4 times since 2003 and I genuinely believe that the club game is responsible for that with how much rugby our top players play.

This feels a bit dramatic to me.

Our injuries are mostly in one position - tighthead - where we’re missing our 1st choice and 3rd choice. Not ideal, but as long as Heyes is OK, we can cope.

Fin Smith’s injury doesn’t sound serious and from what I’ve read, it would only be likely to keep him out of the Wales game. 1. I don’t think we need him for that game and 2. I’d also question whether he’d have been in the 23 anyway if the intention is to stick with the 6:2.

Not exactly a crisis. Fingers crossed we can keep the injury list small.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Plus...every team gets injuries

Saw a post on social media about how France have basically no fit 9s in the country
Ireland are currently recruiting from the URC match threads on here for props