England Squad 2026

[TRF_Olyy]

Stats stats figures figures
Let him play and see, it's not like he's getting smashed around in the prem coming up against countless international players each week

Jibulu shouldn't be in the conversation whatsoever, his lineout work is genuinely embarassing - I wouldn't have him in Sale's 23 if we had any other options atm

 

[Geordie]

Stats stats figures figures
Let him play and see, it's not like he's getting smashed around in the prem coming up against countless international players each week

Jibulu shouldn't be in the conversation whatsoever, his lineout work is genuinely embarassing - I wouldn't have him in Sale's 23 if we had any other options atm

We'll see. He'll HAVE to be in the picture for the summer tournament due to the insane logistics...he should start V Fiji really. That will give us a good indicator straight away.

I agree about Jibulu but that can improve. Above was more a list of whos coming through. Some are more developed than others. I suspect it'll be Wright and Kepu.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

With that in mind....whos the ones to take over from George and LCD...?

Oghre is playing exceptionally well but i just cant help thinking his size will go against him at international level. Im thinking Craig Wright and Kepu are the two likely front runners...

Theo Dan (25) - 5'10 , 16.7st
Nathan Jibulu (23) - 6', 17.5st
Gabriel Oghre (28)- 5'8, 16.2st
Kepu Tuipolotu (20) - 6', 18st
Craig Wright - (21) - 6', 17.5st
Seb Blake (24) - 6'1, 18st
Sansom Adejimi (24) 5'10, 16'9

The majority of other 6N hookers are 17 stone something so it’s not like he’s regularly ceding 3 stone. Plus someone as short as him can be really awkward to scrummage against and evasive in the loose. If his size was a real issue he’d have been found out by now.

He deserves a shot as does Langdon. We know what George and LCD can do and they can be recalled at any time. George in particular needs a rest and a shot across the bows for both him and LCD would be no bad thing either.

 

[Crash Hamster]

Oghre isn’t much smaller than Dan but is significantly better at the set piece. I’d have him in.

However, as you say Tuipolotu, Wright and Jibulu are probably the next batch and are all bigger, heavier men. The issue there is that none of them are first choice at club level.

That’s where Oghre and Langdon should have a theoretical edge. On the flip side, if we’re starting with George or LCD, I suppose you could argue that the three I mentioned above are more used to an impact role from the bench.

I'm not sure we'd want 20 year old hookers starting for Prem clubs on a regular basis. It's bad enough with the current Young Prop Disease. I'm with you, Oghre is surely next cab off the rank, 'small' or otherwise. I really like Langdon, but weren't his lineouts rather dubious on the summer tour?

I've not seen much of Wright, so can't comment.

Tuipolotu seems to be the real deal; he's got power and pace and a rugby brain, but there's surely more development to come. Maybe by the time of the USA World Cup?

 

[Geordie]

I guess the interesting thing is how do you see the role of a hooker. As an extra prop? Or an extra flanker?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Surely we've learned our lesson with hybrid players by now, please God

Hooker should be a hooker, focus on the setpiece - if your flankers need the front row the pick up their slack then drop them for not doing their job

 

[BPM]

I'm not sure we'd want 20 year old hookers starting for Prem clubs on a regular basis. It's bad enough with the current Young Prop Disease. I'm with you, Oghre is surely next cab off the rank, 'small' or otherwise. I really like Langdon, but weren't his lineouts rather dubious on the summer tour?

I've not seen much of Wright, so can't comment.

Tuipolotu seems to be the real deal; he's got power and pace and a rugby brain, but there's surely more development to come. Maybe by the time of the USA World Cup?

I’m not saying that they should be starting for their clubs.

If anything my point was that Oghre and/or Langdon should be in the box seat.

 

[Brown Bottle]

I think it's fair to expect something from the front row outside the set pieces but that should be the point(s) of difference if you've got enough depth or maybe where you look at the balance of the scrum and your game plan and select accordingly. I agree that the set piece should be a given, though; in particular a hooker must be able to throw in at the lineout.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think it's fair to expect something from the front row outside the set pieces but that should be the point(s) of difference if you've got enough depth or maybe where you look at the balance of the scrum and your game plan and select accordingly. I agree that the set piece should be a given, though; in particular a hooker must be able to throw in at the lineout.

Yeah completely agree,
If we have several great setpiece hookers then you look for their USPs - you should never compromise on their core skills though
We've spent too long (in several positions) doing this in the name of hYbRiD tEsT mAtCh AnImALs

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I think it's fair to expect something from the front row outside the set pieces but that should be the point(s) of difference if you've got enough depth or maybe where you look at the balance of the scrum and your game plan and select accordingly. I agree that the set piece should be a given, though; in particular a hooker must be able to throw in at the lineout.

Solid in the set piece, be in the right place at the right time, make your tackles, hit your rucks hard. Anything else is a bonus. You’d like to think some of your front rowers would offer a bit more, but build on foundations of concrete, not sand.

Oh, and leave the midfield to the centres.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

People said Zach Mercer was too small and he'd get minced when he went to France. He proceeded to then beat multiple records and was player of the year twice in a row.

I get tired of height or weight being used to deny players chances who are clearly performing

 

[Geordie]

Surely we've learned our lesson with hybrid players by now, please God

Hooker should be a hooker, focus on the setpiece - if your flankers need the front row the pick up their slack then drop them for not doing their job

I dont think we'll be seeing the end of hybrid players...whether its Borthwick or a new coach.

 

[Rinkadink]

i just wonder how he transfers to the international level only being 5'8 and just over 16 stone

Leicester have him at 16.5 stone on their site, so take Wiki stats with a pinch of salt.

That's a stone heavier than the GOAT Schalk Britz who was big enough to help lift SA the world cup in 2019 (not to mention his previous achievements)... Oghre's footwork and other abilities are what makes him really shine. His scrummaging is good, hits hard and tracks as well as most backs so what will be the exact issues for you?

People weren't complaining about Beno Abano's height before he played for England. Selection should be about form/ability and how they'd fit in with the players around them, England coincidentally have some of the best scrummaging props around, one of which Oghre regularly plays week in and out with.

at least one or two of the above list will have pushed on...

Which won't happen at international level if they never get given squad inclusion or game time there.

 

[Rinkadink]

I get tired of height or weight being used to deny players chances who are clearly performing

France's back 3 are absolutely tiny by most club standards, never mind international. Average of under 13 and a half stone IIRC. Most would pick all of them over their English counterparts during this past 6N.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I’m very pro-Oghre and really want to see him involved but are these really the best arguments for including him?
1. Schalk Brits; possibly the most skillful front rower ever, yet only ever managed to pick up 3 international starts (1 of which was in the back row). Seems to be a prime example of size holding back a front rower - not an example of a front rower overcoming their small size.
2. Zach Mercer; a back rower who has failed to do anything at a level higher than domestic rugby. Doesn’t exactly demonstrate why a small front rower is going to be able to hold their own at scrum time at international level.
3. That the French back three is very lightweight. Just completely irrelevant to whether a front rower is going to succeed in international rugby.

These honestly seem to argue more against Oghre’s inclusion than for it. They’re almost changing my mind to think that we shouldn’t involve him.

 

[Brown Bottle]

Yeah, **** him. Short-arse!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I mean....why not try him?
The ones we've got are either ageing out of international level or are just f*cking sh*t (at club and international level)

Literally what do we have to lose? If he's not up to it then we dared to give a chance to a guy who is significantly better than Theo Dan is - oh no!

I suppose it's not really the England way tbf, Bristol need to start running him at wing in training instead - we only want players who we can make sly little smirks about in press conferences and say "Well we've been playing a prop at fullback, you know - prepare for every eventuality in a game. It's not a sport with positions, everyone needs to play everywhere". Who needs to win games?


Big enough to be the best in the prem, get starts in the Top 14 - not big enough to get a single cap for the rancid bin juice side of the Six nations

 

[Crash Hamster]

I’m not saying that they should be starting for their clubs.

If anything my point was that Oghre and/or Langdon should be in the box seat.

Yeah, that was how I took it and I was completely agreeing with you.

Oghre for now (possibly Langdon, though I was disappointed with him in the summer) and then several young talents coming up for 2031.

I do really rate Tuipolutu, but I'd hate to rush him and break him.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I think it’s criminal that Langdon hasn’t been allowed a shot. Being called up late and dropped in over the summer isn’t really fair when Dan has been in the squad consistently and not trusted.

But then I don’t really want anymore saints players going off to receive poor coaching in the England set up. I’d rather keep them with some decent coaches.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

2. Zach Mercer; a back rower who has failed to do anything at a level higher than domestic rugby. Doesn’t exactly demonstrate why a small front rower is going to be able to hold their own at scrum time at international level.

Failed to do anything in all 2 of his England caps in a poor team against South Africa and Japan...?

The French league had plenty of international quality players and Mercer didn't just do ok, he excelled.

Your attitude is proving my point. Not given a chance and ditched because of prejudice. Meanwhile proven international failures like Dombrandt got chances again and again and again even as he consistently performed terribly.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Failed to do anything in all 2 of his England caps in a poor team against South Africa and Japan...?

The French league had plenty of international quality players and Mercer didn't just do ok, he excelled.

Your attitude is proving my point. Not given a chance and ditched because of prejudice.

I’m not trying to discredit Mercer as a player; there’s every chance he’d have excelled at international level had he been given the chance. All I’m really trying to say is that saying that Oghre should do well in the front row at international level because Mercer did well in the back row in France just isn’t a strong argument. They’re completely different positions and quite different standards.

And once again for the record, I do want Oghre to be given a chance. It’s just the argument I disagree with.

(I’d also have liked for Mercer to have been given a chance).

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I’m not trying to discredit Mercer as a player; there’s every chance he’d have excelled at international level had he been given the chance. All I’m really trying to say is that saying that Oghre should do well in the front row at international level because Mercer did well in the back row in France just isn’t a strong argument. They’re completely different positions and quite different standards.

And once again for the record, I do want Oghre to be given a chance. It’s just the argument I disagree with.

(I’d also have liked for Mercer to have been given a chance).

The front row is an extremely technical position. Maybe Oghre would fail there but he should not be discredited poorly because of his size. The general intensity of international games is higher but ultimately he would have already faced plenty of lager players and isn't showing signs of struggling.

It's just daft when on field performance is disregarded over a number on a spreadsheet. It's the on field stuff that matters.

 

[Reiser99]

I’m not trying to discredit Mercer as a player; there’s every chance he’d have excelled at international level had he been given the chance. All I’m really trying to say is that saying that Oghre should do well in the front row at international level because Mercer did well in the back row in France just isn’t a strong argument. They’re completely different positions and quite different standards.

And once again for the record, I do want Oghre to be given a chance. It’s just the argument I disagree with.

(I’d also have liked for Mercer to have been given a chance).

I think the argument was less to do with saying Oghre is like Mercer or will perform like him. It's more that people dismissing him just because he's smaller is similar to what people said about Mercer, yet he showed size isn't everything.

Reality is it's less about the player and more about balance in the team. If you picked a front 8 who were all generally smaller than you'll have issues, but when you've got a balance you can accommodate those players in form. I wouldn't say the front row is struggling for size. The back row was the issue.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The front row is an extremely technical position. Maybe Oghre would fail there but he should not be discredited poorly because of his size. The general intensity of international games is higher but ultimately he would have already faced plenty of lager players and isn't showing signs of struggling.

It's just daft when on field performance is disregarded over a number on a spreadsheet. It's the on field stuff that matters.

Hope he’s not bitter.

 

[Noonz]

Weren't all of Oghre's stats better as well? I thought I remember seeing a post about stats that showed he was the most in-form hooker in the prem lol

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Hope he’s not bitter.

Nah, he's got a good head on him and a bubbly personality.