by Steve Borthwick will name his Six Nations squad on Wednesday as England begin a new World Cup cycle.
The England manager must decide how many new players he will bring in and which of the old guard will remain.
Telegraph Sport’s rugby writers choose the players they would like to select. do you agree with them? Let us know in the comments section.
Forwards (20)
Beno Obano (Bathroom)
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Theo Dan (Saracens)
Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Will Stuart (Bathroom)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Sam Underhill (Bathroom)
Guy Pepper (Newcastle Falcons)
Ben Curry (Shark Sale)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
Alfie Barbeary (Bathroom)
Zach Mercer (Gloucester)
Backs (16)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Ben Spencer (Bathroom)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
George Ford (Shark Sale)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Ollie Lawrence (Bathroom)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Olly Hartley (Saracens)
Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Roebuck (Shark Sale)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
I’ve tried to reward form as much as possible by maintaining a pool of experienced options. Non-international players such as Tom Roebuck, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Greg Fisilau would have a real chance of starting in England’s opening match against Italy.
Perhaps the biggest mistake of the Eddie Jones era was the lack of new blood after the 2019 World Cup, where the team became stale and acrimonious. This selection would act as a new chapter. Even allowing for several absences, this would feel like a proper World Cup update, with a new back row and three defense combinations where the competition is wide open.
I was also hoping the likes of Sale Sharks’ precocious tighthead Asher Opoku-Fordjour would come into play over the course of this World Cup cycle, but for the moment his education is best served in the Premiership. I changed my mind on my back row combination about 29 times and I didn’t want to leave out Tom Pearson. If Ellis Genge and Joe Marler have injuries, then only one makes the cut.
Forwards (20)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Theo Dan (Saracens)
Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Will Stuart (Bathroom)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Moon (Northampton Saints)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints)
Alfie Barbeary (Bathroom)
Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs)
Sam Underhill (Bathroom)
Ben Curry (Shark Sale)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
Backs (16)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Ben Spencer (Bathroom)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
George Ford (Shark Sale)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ollie Lawrence (Bathroom)
Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Will Muir (Bathroom)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers)
I’ll be honest. I didn’t realize that Ethan Roots qualified, through his father, to represent England before Steve Borthwick mentioned the New Zealander last week in the England head coach’s media session at Twickenham. But now, having been impressed by Roots’ efforts for Exeter Chiefs since the start of the season, I can see the 24-year-old heading into camp and making a claim. England don’t have too many inventive and combative flankers like Roots and they need to replace Courtney Lawes somehow. Of course, Borthwick will consider fielding Maro Itoje, George Martin and Ollie Chessum together.
My most notable omission is probably Kyle Sinckler, who was better against Sale Sharks on Friday. However, Joe Heyes deserves a chance. Assuming Lewis Ludlam is not ready, Alfie Barbeary is an abrasive addition at the base of the scrum with Tom Willis injured. Alex Dombrandt has been in good form, but was left out.
This group, which includes Ellis Genge, Joe Marler and Anthony Watson having recovered from their respective ailments, contains some rookies and plenty of experience. Fraser Dingwall is a classy center who could fill the problematic number 12 shirt. There are plenty more rookies and national performers I’d like to see in the England A mix; Phil Brantingham, Tarek Haffar, Gabriel Oghre, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Josh Caulfield, Joe Batley, Sam Graham, Zach Mercer, Guy Pepper, Sam Bedlow, Ollie Hartley, Dan Kelly, Ollie Sleightholme and Tom Roebuck to name a few.
Forwards (20)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Theo Dan (Saracens)
Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Shark Sale)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints)
Guy Pepper (Newcastle Falcons)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
Sam Underhill (Bathroom)
Alfie Barbeary (Bathroom)
Ben Curry (Shark Sale)
Backs (16)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Ben Spencer (Bathroom)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
George Ford (Shark Sale)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ollie Lawrence (Bathroom)
Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Olly Hartley (Saracens)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Will Muir (Bathroom)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers)
This team, by Borthwick’s stated criteria, is based on Premiership form and combines wise owls such as Joe Marler, Dan Cole and Danny Care with budding prospects such as Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Guy Pepper and Olly Hartley. Saints’ trio of three defenders are rewarded for their imperious form at the club (with George Furbank and Ollie Sleightholme, in particular, a notch above), while Greg Fisilau and the returning Henry Slade represent their teammates Premiership high-flyer, Exeter.
The four second rows chosen are capable of blind sides, giving the back row a wealth of options. That said, if I had to pick a starting team today, I would include all three: Ollie Chessum, George Martin and Maro Itoje, perhaps with the latter on the blind side. Hartley, the 21-year-old inside centre, has produced some eye-catching displays for Saracens in a depleted area for England. With Slade and Ollie Lawrence the likely starting combination, Hartley’s experience in camp could be invaluable going forward, while he has already shown flashes of his powerful running game with his team this season.
My apologies in advance to the hipsters or those driving the hype train, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is a prodigious talent, but I’m not convinced he’s ready… yet.
Forwards (20)
Beno Obano (Bathroom)
Tarek Haffar (Northampton Saints)
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Theo Dan (Saracens)
Jack Walker (Harlequins)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Will Stuart (Bathroom)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Shark Sale)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Jonny Hill (Shark Sale)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints)
Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints)
Alfie Barbeary (Bathroom)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
Backs (16)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bathroom)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ollie Lawrence (Bathroom)
Will Joseph (Harlequins)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
George Ford (Shark Sale)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Ben Spencer (Bathroom)
At the start of a new World Cup cycle, the old is left behind and the new is in. No prizes for guessing Exeter speed and strength doctor Immanuel Feyi-Waboso receives his first call-up to the England squad. Given their street displays in the Premiership, George Furbank and Henry Slade are welcomed back into the international fold.
In Tom Pearson, the former London Irishman who has been gaining ground like a truck all season for Northampton, along with Exeter youngster Ethan Roots, there is reason to be optimistic that the Courtney Lawes-sized gaping hole can be closed. fill. However, the discreet lack of cover at hooker extends until 2024: Luke Cowan-Dickie’s return remains too raw for the furnace of Test rugby, so Theo Dan and Jack Walker slip through. Alex Dombrandt has been reinvigorated by his omission from the World Cup.
The hope, of course, is that Ellis Genge (hamstring) and Joe Marler (arm) return to full fitness, but several new faces have a chance to prove themselves amid a front-row deficit. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Fin Baxter and Tarek Haffar have been fireballs of energy for their respective clubs and will benefit greatly from mixing with some wise old men.
