Steve Borthwick just named his 36-man training squad for the Nations Championship Tests, and with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia less than a year out, these selections are sparking major questions about his long-term plan.
Experience Over Form: The Big Question
Borthwick’s squad includes a recall for Joe Marchant and rewards Will Joseph for his and Gloucester’s killer start to the season. We’re also seeing some fresh faces with uncapped Archie McParland at scrum-half and Kepu Tuipulotu at hooker. But honestly, it looks like a tried and tested group, right?
Former England wing Chris Ashton dropped a bombshell on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, saying, “If we look at this training squad, it’s not picked on form, is it?” Ouch. Ashton reckons it’s a squad to get to the World Cup based on Borthwick’s relationships and player experience, not who’s tearing it up right now, except for Joseph.
It’s the age-old dilemma. You’ve got 10 teams producing players absolutely crushing it, but how do you balance that hot form with the need for selection consistency? Guys like Fin Baxter, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jamie George, Will Stuart, George Furbank, and Ben Curry, among others, are all Borthwick regulars with priceless Test match experience, but they’ve been short on minutes or form lately. Ashton thinks Borthwick’s “under pressure to get results, so it is too late to make big changes.” He’s right, there just aren’t many lads who have played much rugby.
Who’s Missing and the Midfield Mayhem
The uncapped McParland and Tuipulotu bring some new energy, but will they actually see much game time? McParland’s got Jack van Poortvliet and Alex Mitchell to compete with, and Tuipulotu is up against the super experienced George and Cowan-Dickie. Ugo Monye isn’t holding back either, pointing out some seriously noticeable omissions.
Monye highlighted Nathan Jibulu from Sale, who’s had two man-of-the-match performances and “might feel slightly hard done by.” And don’t even get him started on George Hendy from Northampton, who Monye says has been “that good for that long” and we “need to have a look at Hendy.” Plus, where’s Fitz Harding from Bristol? Monye believes Borthwick probably had this squad rough-drafted a month ago.
Injuries are always gonna mess things up. Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who Borthwick fast-tracked, is out and that’s a big blow. Seb Atkinson and Exeter’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso are both on the rehab list, so the medical staff will be on them. Even nailed-on fly-half starter Fin Smith has a calf niggle and misses training this week, though it’s apparently not serious. Charlie Atkinson got the call-up on Monday morning.
Up front, the selection picture is pretty clear if everyone’s fit: Ellis Genge, George, Cowan-Dickie, Joe Heyes, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Alex Coles, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Ben Earl, Tom Curry, and Henry Pollock are all set for the 23. But behind the scrum, especially at centre, it’s a complete mess. Ashton flat-out said, “I would struggle to answer who will play in the midfield.”
What’s Next: Nations Championship Showdowns
The clock is ticking, and England has nine competitive matches before the World Cup. First up, the Nations Championship kicks off again in November. England plays Australia on November 8, then Japan on November 14, and finishes with New Zealand on November 21. These next few Tests are gonna be absolutely crucial for Borthwick to figure out who’s really gonna make the cut and how this “experience over form” gamble pays off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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