England 2025/26

[TRF_Olyy]

I think he's been scrummaging well for a couple of seasons now, and considering we're talking about a 4th choice I'd say that's good

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I reckon anyone consistently starting over Fischetti is doing something right

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I reckon anyone consistently starting over Fischetti is doing something right

Think that is just down to Fischetti bringing a lot more off the bench

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

George set to captain England over the summer (shouldn’t he be on a beach?) with Chessum to get the armband in games he doesn’t play in / after he goes off.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

All of the team's core should be on a beach instead.

 

[Scotty]

George set to captain England over the summer (shouldn’t he be on a beach?) with Chessum to get the armband in games he doesn’t play in / after he goes off.

Id give it to Chessum tbh let George be a leader in the team. Unless it's to build Chessum into it at this level

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, Chessum should be captain and Ford shouldn't be in the 23

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Yeah I’d go straight for Chessum too.

George was pretty unceremoniously stripped of the captaincy after one year and his game’s very clearly on the wane.

That said he’ll still almost certainly be going to the RWC, so for very different reasons he needs a break as much as Itoje.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I reckon anyone consistently starting over Fischetti is doing something right

Think that is just down to Fischetti bringing a lot more off the bench

Tigers fan doesn’t rate saints player….

Oh I’m so shocked

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Squad by position:
LP: Genge, Opoku-Fordjour, Obano
HK: George, Cowan-Dickie, Dan
TP: Heyes, Kloska, Sela
LK: Martin, Coles, Clark, Ewels
FL: Chessum, Pepper, Curry, Hill
N8: Earl, Pollock, Fisilau
SH: Mitchell, Spencer, van Poortvliet
FH: F. Smith, M. Smith, Ford
IC: Janse van Rensburg, Atkinson, Ojomoh
OC: Slade
WG: Freeman, Feyi-Waboso, Murley, Calouri
FB: Furbank, Steward

Notable exclusions:
- Iyogun left out in favour of selecting Asher at loosehead and retaining Sela is certainly a choice… especially since Iyogun spent the whole 6N with the squad. Borthwick must have seen something in Sela that he really likes but that choice does not make much sense to me.
- Blamire left out for LCD. Even if LCD is fully fit (which he isn’t) I’d have liked to see Dan & Blamire both fully tried & tested this series. As it is, LCD is getting flogged and the back-up options aren’t going to get any game time.
- Dingwall left out; think the writing was on the wall for that selection considering that he’s been benched at Northampton.
- Roebuck! How’s he fallen so far down the pecking order? Calouri’s promising but seems crazy to leave Roebuck out at his expense.

Will say that one thing I’m glad about is that with 4 genuine centres in there (excluding Freeman) & 4 genuine wingers in there (including Freeman), the balance certainly looks as though Freeman will be back on the wing, which I am a fan of.

Also very glad to see Fisilau in for Dombrandt as I could have seen that selection going either way.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Why didn't they have Clark there last week if he was gonna tour

Feels like it's been picked by TNT Sport

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Why didn't they have Clark there last week if he was gonna tour

Feels like it's been picked by TNT Sport

Clark was on the rehab list last week.

 

[NickBD]

Light on wingers assuming Freeman is at 13. Unless Freeman is back on the wing with one of van Rensburg or Ojomoh cover at 13.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Fairs, that makes sense

Still some real headscratchers
Dont need both George and LCD - LCD has been out injured for ages and was playing like **** before then

Im a big fan of Hill but he fluffed his lines vs France XV but then still tours after so long in the wilderness?
Sela poor last week and didn't finish the season well at all either
Caluori not ready either, even Topsy Ojo in the commentary, when the other commentator was glazing him, was saying he's not ready

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Im a big fan of Hill but he fluffed his lines vs France XV but then still tours after so long in the wilderness?

Who else is there, really? It looks like after Chessum’s performance vs France, Borthwick’s bought into having a big man/lock-adjacent player at 6 - with CCS injured who else fits that mould besides Hill? The only guy who’s been involved at all with England A who fits that mould is Zach Carr and Hill’s in a different tier of player to him. The only other option would be to take someone like Isiekwe as a 6.

One thing I will say about this squad that I like is that I do think each position is developing a real identity.

4. Coles / Ewels - both athletic, lineout calling locks.
5. Martin / Clark - both big, physical men.
6. Chessum / Hill - both big, athletic, lineout-jumping blindsides.
7. Pepper / Curry - both bigger & more physical than you would normally expect from opensides while still being real breakdown threats.
8. Earl / Pollock / Fisilau - all dynamic, mobile 8s.
12. Janse Van Rensburg / Atkinson - both men who punch above their weight & are equally adept at distributing or taking the ball to the line.
13. Slade / Ojomoh - both ball-playing 13s who are better suited to distributing the ball to the edges than carrying it themselves.
11. Feyi-Waboso / Murley - both powerful wingers who fit very much into the finisher mold.
14. Freeman / Calouri - both tall men who are real aerial threats & enjoy appearing off of their wing.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The only other option would be to take someone like Isiekwe as a 6.

Played well vs France, especially in the defensive lineout

I'm not necessarily against Hill going, it's just a weird squad

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Lawrence’s star has fallen some and he’s not even one of the 3 backs who started the 6N not selected.

The Boks will be wondering what to have for lunch after they’ve had this lot for breakfast.

 

[Scotty]

Squad by position:
LP: Genge, Opoku-Fordjour, Obano
HK: George, Cowan-Dickie, Dan
TP: Heyes, Kloska, Sela
LK: Martin, Coles, Clark, Ewels
FL: Chessum, Pepper, Curry, Hill
N8: Earl, Pollock, Fisilau
SH: Mitchell, Spencer, van Poortvliet
FH: F. Smith, M. Smith, Ford
IC: Janse van Rensburg, Atkinson, Ojomoh
OC: Slade
WG: Freeman, Feyi-Waboso, Murley, Calouri
FB: Furbank, Steward

Notable exclusions:
- Iyogun left out in favour of selecting Asher at loosehead and retaining Sela is certainly a choice… especially since Iyogun spent the whole 6N with the squad. Borthwick must have seen something in Sela that he really likes but that choice does not make much sense to me.
- Blamire left out for LCD. Even if LCD is fully fit (which he isn’t) I’d have liked to see Dan & Blamire both fully tried & tested this series. As it is, LCD is getting flogged and the back-up options aren’t going to get any game time.
- Dingwall left out; think the writing was on the wall for that selection considering that he’s been benched at Northampton.
- Roebuck! How’s he fallen so far down the pecking order? Calouri’s promising but seems crazy to leave Roebuck out at his expense.

Will say that one thing I’m glad about is that with 4 genuine centres in there (excluding Freeman) & 4 genuine wingers in there (including Freeman), the balance certainly looks as though Freeman will be back on the wing, which I am a fan of.

Also very glad to see Fisilau in for Dombrandt as I could have seen that selection going either way.

4 centres and 4 wingers sure, but 3 12s and Slade so Freeman will likely be a 13 unless they leave out Lawrence and put Baths 12 all season at 13.

Still glad for Fisilau as you said. Decent squad

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Steve Borthwick on Nations Championship squad​

"We've selected a squad with a good blend of experience and emerging talent," said Borthwick.

"The Nations Championship presents an exciting challenge for this group. We will face strong opposition in demanding environments, with extensive travel and changes in climate all testing the squad throughout the tournament.

"I am sure by preparing well and continuing to demand the highest standards from one another every day, we will be well placed to meet the challenge of a very demanding summer schedule.”

 

[Saintjay]

Whilst employing tactics that only worked two years ago.

 

[higgik]

Yeah, Chessum should be captain and Ford shouldn't be in the 23

Ford should be moving into a role of mentor to the Smiths, giving them advice on International rugby.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

I’m sorry but the idea that Fix Baxter is set to be within the next year or two a member of the senior leaderships group makes me laugh. He looks so young.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Whilst employing tactics that only worked two years ago.

There were tactics?

That worked?

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Heyes doing a Sinckler and going down in the first minute v the Boks would be the stuff of nightmares.

Not even sure who’d be bench cover. I know the tour prop split but AOF with Obano covering LH?

Sela’s not Bok ready. What’s Kloska like? Haven’t really paid any attention.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Some odd selections and even offer than Borthwick has once again flip flopped on players.

It’s all about tactics though, if we continue to play the worst rugby ever and selection and subs still baffle then I’m hoping Borthwick finally goes. Maybe he’s learned from his mistakes but if history is anything to go by he hasn’t.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Also very glad to see Fisilau in for Dombrandt as I could have seen that selection going either way.

Dombrandt did his ACL v France and is expected to miss a big chunk of next season.

Nasty. Wish him well in his recovery.

 

[Geordie]

Heyes doing a Sinckler and going down in the first minute v the Boks would be the stuff of nightmares.

Not even sure who’d be bench cover. I know the tour prop split but AOF with Obano covering LH?

Sela’s not Bok ready. What’s Kloska like? Haven’t really paid any attention.

Kloska will be interesting to watch at scrum Time. Hes a solid scrummager. If he gets on v the Boks it could tell us alot.

Bily Sela got taught a lesson that hopefully will push him on.

I think they'll put Freeman at Wing v The Boks purely for some defensive solidity.

11 Waboso
12 Atkinson
13 Slade
14 Freeman
Then if he plays any of the others games (as I'm sure he's hit the minute limit) I think they they'll give him some time at 13 along with BJVR.

 

[Quel Carreleur]

Sela just isn't ready for international rugby yet.
He's promising, but he's still learning.
AOF and Kloska are the right calls, but I don't see Sela being ready in time for the world cup; but could well be ruined if he goes up against the Saffas

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

One player who has increasingly impressed me is Coles. He’s impacting games, hugely athletic, decent hands, excellent in the line out and I fully approve of 6’ 9” out of principle. His confidence has to be sky high and I think may be getting to the point where his international career might properly take off. Things could get a bit interesting if he takes his chance over the summer.

Then we’ve got a rejuvenated Martin who, on form, is a no brainer at TH lock. Also Chessum who I’d say has been our best all round lock for a while probably at 6.

Itoje’s having a well deserved break, as others should be. He’s not going to be as consistently poor as he was in the 6N again although I continue to have some doubts about his captaincy. But, for almost the first time, we could end the summer with him having to fight for his place on form. He’s been there, got all the T shirts, but a few weeks on the beach won’t fully disguise that he’s still played a lot of rugby and is going to be 32 in October while the other 3 are all 25/6 so getting towards their absolute peaks. It would be great to see all 4, fit and scrapping it out for places.

 

[Geordie]

Sela just isn't ready for international rugby yet.
He's promising, but he's still learning.
AOF and Kloska are the right calls, but I don't see Sela being ready in time for the world cup; but could well be ruined if he goes up against the Saffas

i hope he doesnt go up against the Boks to be honest. I think he would have learned a valuable lesson v the French XV and so would the coaches. Talent is there but a work in progress.

No point damaging him when you have AOF further down the development line and Kloska coming good.