England squad: Winners and losers as ‘serious Test match animal’ returns while youngster’s ‘rapid ascent’ continues
England flanker Tom Curry and uncapped wing Noah Caluori were selected.
Following confirmation of England head coach Steve Borthwick’s 36-man squad for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series, here are our winners and losers from his selection.
Winners
Tom Curry
This is a big call from Borthwick, considering he’s not played any rugby since the British and Irish Lions series, but Tom Curry is back up and running just in time for the autumn.
The Sale Sharks man is a serious Test match animal, proved by his brilliant displays against the Wallabies this summer, and that could see him thrown straight back into the mix.
Borthwick hasn’t been afraid to do this in the past either, notably bringing him on the tour of Japan and New Zealand despite missing 90% of that season through a hip issue, but Curry has delivered every time.
England are not short of options in the back-row, but Curry commands a spot in the starting side. Borthwick will be beaming with his return to full fitness.
Noah Caluori
Wow, wow, wow!
The 19-year-old winger has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks this season, going from the fringes of the Saracens squad to the England senior team in just five rounds of PREM rugby.
Borthwick might have eared on the side of caution over a young player in times gone by, but this call shows there are already serious strides being made towards the 2027 World Cup and beyond.
Caluori himself has clearly warranted a place in this squad too. The youngster was initially invited into last week’s mini-camp as part of a development agreement with Saracens, but now he cracks the full bore 36-man squad with the full possibility of a Test debut too.
Notably, he also overtook Adam Radwan in the pecking order, which takes some doing.
Hopefully this is the start of something special.
Jack Kenningham
He’s had to wait a long time for a shot at a maiden Test cap, but it’s certainly deserved.
The Harlequins back-rower has been one of the most consistent performers in the PREM for a good few years now, becoming one of the league’s best jackal threats in the process.
His work around the ruck, his ability to sniff out a turnover and then magically appear in the right spot at the right time is certainly what has got him into this 36-man squad. Borthwick has already shown he wants his back-row to go full out at the breakdown, often deploying three traditional openside’s at once.
Ben Earl’s probable return to number eight this series also means there is a spot open somewhere in the back-row, and Kenningham certainly fits the mould.
It’s by no means a sympathy call-up.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
He was always going to make the England squad, but this does feel like another chance for him to show exactly why he is seen as one of the hottest properties in the Test game after a year of misfortune.
The Exeter back endured a tough time of it last season. A delay in his shoulder surgery ruling him out until the very end of the season, seeing his hopes of touring with the Lions dashed, while a red card on England A duty just 30 minutes into his return to the field saw him limited to just one run-out on the summer tour. It was never really going to be a statement performance, given it was his first real taste of minutes that calendar year.
But, even with a hamstring tweak thrown in, he’s been at his electric best since returning to PREM action. He has quickly become a pivotal player in this rejuvenated Exeter side, scoring seven tries in just five games while offering his traditional attacking flashes in there for good measure. If anything, he seems even better than he was in his breakthrough season.
That form should he see him returned to the starting XV for the four Tests next month, giving him that long-awaited chance to again show why England fought so hard to cap him.
Henry Slade
On current performances, does he get his starting shirt back?
The Chiefs man is imperious touch right now, arguably the form player across the league, and certainly warrants his spot in this side.
His defensive connection with Feyi-Waboso has helped him return to his best on that side of the ball, but it’s his attacking work that will please Borthwick the most.
He is just oozing confidence ball-in-hand this season, now returned to 13 consistently. His distribution has been pinpoint, be it from the boot or from hand, and that ability to see space and work the ball into it fits exactly what Lee Blackett will want in his system.
His combination with Ollie Lawrence has never worked as many would have hoped, but is this the year they finally click?
Losers
Fresh blows
Two of the three changes from last week’s mini-camp are enforced, with Emeka Ilione and Bevan Rodd missing out through injuries.
This will come as a huge blow to both, who were in great touch prior to their knocks. Rodd was positioning himself at the top of the England loosehead depth chart, while Ilione was also working his way to become the de facto Tom Willis replacement at eight.
This would have also frustrated Borthwick, who is already enduring a serious injury crisis right across his squad.
Adam Radwan
He will surely be a frustrated man this week, after missing out on the England squad once again.
Radwan couldn’t have really done much more to make the 36, either. He’s once again been in terrific form for Leicester since the start of the season, scoring four tries in five outings while continuing to have opposition defences on strings in the carry too.
But, England are spoiled for wingers right now. There are six out-and-out wingers in this 36-man squad, while Freddie Steward can also slot out wide too. It’s just a position of real strength for England, and he’s fallen victim to it.
Joe Cokanasiga
The imposing Bath back seems to be Borthwick’s forgotten man at the minute, as he yet again misses out on selection.
For whatever reason, it hasn’t quite worked out for Cokanasiga at Test level, but with the form he’s in for Bath it could have been his time to break that trend.
Crucially, he also knows all the ins and outs of Blackett’s system, after playing a big part in it for Bath last season.
One thing that could see him back in the Test picture is a shift to 13. His size, power and speed mean he has all the minerals to dominate that space, but his strike running against the grain shows he also has the desire to play in that way. Would be an interesting to see in real time.
Injured cohort
Around the two fresh blows, England are without a host of key names this autumn. Seb Atkinson, Arthur Clark, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Charlie Ewels, George Furbank, Ted Hill, Curtis Langdon, Will Muir, Harry Randall and Ollie Sleightholme were all listed as out of action by England, and you can also throw in the likes of Ollie Thorley into that list too. It’s not pleasant reading for Borthwick, even with his already strong 36-man squad.
Ethan Roots
Days after having his Test chances talked up by Rob Baxter, he misses out on selection, and it does seem one of the harsher omissions in this squad.
The Exeter back-rower has been in stellar form this season, looking even a step up from the player Borthwick fast tracked into the 2024 Six Nations squad. He has really shown that gritty, physical edge that Baxter demands from his back-rowers in defence, while also having his trademark effects in the breakdown.
Again, though, the back-row is such a tough positional area to break into for England right now. That’s only been made harder by the return of T. Curry too.
He can certainly feel hard done by to miss out.
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