England 2025/26

[Geordie]

No Radwan is diabolical

Shame for Ilione if he's injured, hopefully fit for the A games

Caluori as a full EPS member is weird

Radwan I get. He just doesn't have the Aerial ability that international rugby requires now, Freeman, Roebuck do And Calhouri seems incredibly good there for 19. And whilst Radwans attack is electric, Waboso is first choice and just as electric.

Illone, I'm really disappointed by. I'd probably have called up Pepper over Kenningham personally but they're both good options though probably A team options at the moment.

Calhouri has been getting watched through the ages grades, and he has height, pace, good reading of the game etc. I doubt he'll play , but if Radwan isn't deemed as good enough now to start due to lacking on some areas, then I can see why they've kept Calhouri in to develop.

Freeman, Waboso starts
Roebuck bench but pushing Very hard
------------
Lots of other wingers all of different strengths and weaknesses.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Radwan's been in better form than all but Freeman - I'd put him on a level with IFW

He's fine in the air, not a weapon but not a liability, and if that's the issue then why not talk about Arundell's defence - only player I've seen have multiple 0% completion games
Like Arundell's been fine this season, on the whole, far better than I expected, but Radwan way better - Arundell was poor this week but then he got the intercept with the final play and the media went wild

If Caluori isn't gonna play why waste a spot on him, have him in as a guest/apprentice or whatever it was he was last week

Hendy would've been a better addition than Arundell or Caluori as well, and OHC is very hard done by too

Feels very pick-by-media

Hopefully SB doesn't do to Caluori what EJ did to Isiekwe when he was called up as a 19yr old

 

[NickBD]

Caluori doesn't have any secret Scottish family members does cause that would explain it. Look he's one hell of a prospect but feels forced. I mean the big 3 are IFW, Roebuck and Freeman but I would argue Radwan is the 4th best option right now.

Picking 6 wingers again maybe he is actually going to try Freeman at 13. Still I still don't get why he's picked Murley? Arundell and Caluori, I get even though I don't agree probably the biggest prospects and he wants them in early.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

‘Not considered for selection: Seb Atkinson (Gloucester), Arthur Clark (Gloucester), Ben Curry (Sale), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Charlie Ewels (Bath), George Furbank (Northampton), Ted Hill (Bath), Emeka Ilione (Leicester), Curtis Langdon (Northampton), Will Muir (Bath), Harry Randall (Bristol), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton).’

 

[Geordie]

Radwan's been in better form than all but Freeman - I'd put him on a level with IFW

He's fine in the air, not a weapon but not a liability, and if that's the issue then why not talk about Arundell's defence - only player I've seen have multiple 0% completion games
Like Arundell's been fine this season, on the whole, far better than I expected, but Radwan way better - Arundell was poor this week but then he got the intercept with the final play and the media went wild

If Caluori isn't gonna play why waste a spot on him, have him in as a guest/apprentice or whatever it was he was last week

Hendy would've been a better addition than Arundell or Caluori as well, and OHC is very hard done by too

Feels very pick-by-media

Hopefully SB doesn't do to Caluori what EJ did to Isiekwe when he was called up as a 19yr old

The squad is being used for match day squads and for development outside that.

So with regards to wingers Roebuck, Freeman and Waboso are the front line, with Arundel, Calhouri as the young guys with massive potential who could very well get some game time this autumn.. Murley is the middle ground as a developing player who has been around the squad and knows the calls etc.

I do rate Hendy highly and suspect he's being eyed for the A games. I'd personally have him in this squad.

 

[Which Tyler]

Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Theo Dan (Saracens)

Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)

Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)

Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Jack Kenningham (Harlequins)
Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby)
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)



Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks)

George Ford (Sale Sharks)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)

Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Henry Arundell (Bath Rugby)
Noah Caluori (Saracens)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)

Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Radwan being left out is a shocker. I was at Welford Road yesterday and the way he changed running angle for that second try was fantastic. Furthermore, I haven't noticed anything wrong with his defence.

 

[BPM]

Radwan's been in better form than all but Freeman - I'd put him on a level with IFW

He's fine in the air, not a weapon but not a liability, and if that's the issue then why not talk about Arundell's defence - only player I've seen have multiple 0% completion games
Like Arundell's been fine this season, on the whole, far better than I expected, but Radwan way better - Arundell was poor this week but then he got the intercept with the final play and the media went wild

If Caluori isn't gonna play why waste a spot on him, have him in as a guest/apprentice or whatever it was he was last week

Hendy would've been a better addition than Arundell or Caluori as well, and OHC is very hard done by too

Feels very pick-by-media

Hopefully SB doesn't do to Caluori what EJ did to Isiekwe when he was called up as a 19yr old

100%. It’s possible he really impressed in training but I highly doubt he is a serious option for one of these tests. Starting in the A game would have been a much more appropriate call - still might happen I guess?

 

[AlRums]

Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Theo Dan (Saracens)

Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)

Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)

Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Jack Kenningham (Harlequins)
Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby)
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)



Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks)

George Ford (Sale Sharks)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)

Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Henry Arundell (Bath Rugby)
Noah Caluori (Saracens)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)

Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)

Sometimes, I'm a tad surprised that after the Farrell at 12 experiment they haven't tried it with Smith at 12, should be better than at fullback.

 

[Geordie]

100%. It's possible he really impressed in training but I highly doubt he is a serious option for one of these tests. Starting in the A game would have been a much more appropriate call - still might happen I guess?

The way I see it ..

Radwan 27 - 2 caps
Calhouri 19 - 0 Caps

Neither of these two are likely to take the field this Autumn with Freeman, Waboso, Roebuck and Murley in the squad.

So for a non playing squad member, do you take a 27 year old who's been ignored by successive coaches or a 19 year old who's been watched closely through the England age groups and has started the season very well indeed.

I think they've made the right call on this one The coaches can give him instructions, work ons etc.

I do think Hendy should be in the mix somewhere though. Your looking for a big powerful mobile 15 /wing...he's your man.

 

[Saintjay]

Radwan could give Tom Willis lectures on feeling valued

 

[Ddanno]

Christ is Radwan 27 already? Time flies in Newcastle

 

[Wasps92]

Radwan should have left Newcastle about 4/5 years ago. Commendable loyalty from him for sticking it out with them for as long as he did but it’s severely dented his international ambitions.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I agree that would be the way I'd go
However as Daly is injured (who started Vs Wales) unless he starts ford at 10.
I just can't see SB not picking Slade because of this orthodox thinking England coaches have around total caps

I detest the caps thinking, it only tells half the story. If a player gets a ton of caps because they are a coach favourite or because a coach as determined through an arbitrary measure that you need x caps to win, that's going to count for nothing if they didn't actually deserve that many caps on merit.

We've won the world cup once, only 1 player from the top 10 most capped England players has won a world cup. I know players now play more games but caps only count for anything if a player accumulates that many because they are better than the alternatives. Jones obsessed over caps but when you look at our top 10 most capped players, can you say any of them were clearly one of the best in the world at their time? They weren't. They were mostly good internationals who got a number of caps totally out of whack with how good they actually were.

By contrast look at the list of most capped new Zealand, Australian or South African players and top 10 is full of world cup winners.

A player should be awarded caps because they are the best option, not because they already have caps.

 

[Geordie]

Radwan should have left Newcastle about 4/5 years ago. Commendable loyalty from him for sticking it out with them for as long as he did but it's severely dented his international ambitions.

He stalled his own personal development as well. Would have rounded out his weaker areas far quicker at a club with top class coaches.

 

[Wasps92]

He stalled his own personal development as well. Would have rounded out his weaker areas far quicker at a club with top class coaches.

I say that with a heavy heart as someone born in Consett (I am a Sunderland fan though ). Hopefully those struggles will be over soon with Red Bull involved.

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Radwan should have left Newcastle about 4/5 years ago. Commendable loyalty from him for sticking it out with them for as long as he did but it's severely dented his international ambitions.

It has but shouldn't an international coach be able to spot a good player in a poor team.

 

[Duck a l'Orange]

It has but shouldn't an international coach be able to spot a good player in a poor team.

Every Gloucester player clenching their fists like Arthur right now.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Every Gloucester player clenching their fists like Arthur right now.

Gloucester is where rugby dreams and genetic diversity go to die.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

O

The way I see it ..

Radwan 27 - 2 caps
Calhouri 19 - 0 Caps

Neither of these two are likely to take the field this Autumn with Freeman, Waboso, Roebuck and Murley in the squad.

So for a non playing squad member, do you take a 27 year old who's been ignored by successive coaches or a 19 year old who's been watched closely through the England age groups and has started the season very well indeed.

I think they've made the right call on this one The coaches can give him instructions, work ons etc.

I do think Hendy should be in the mix somewhere though. Your looking for a big powerful mobile 15 /wing...he's your man.

Bet Calhouri gets some time against Fiji, but it’s a silly selection.

I’d love McCall to be England boss. He seems sensible and really seems to know how to manage players and get the best out of them, whether newcomers or older hands.