England team: Winners and losers as full-back granted debut after a year of waiting and Bath star overlooked for starting spot
England team winners and losers as fullback granted start after a year of waiting and Bath star overlooked for start
England have named a much-changed side to face the USA on Saturday after completing a whitewash over Argentina on South American soil.
The new-look side consists of three debutants in the starting XV, with three more fresh stars ready to arrive off the bench.
Here are our winners and losers from Wednesday’s team announcement:
Winners
Joe Carpenter
The Sale Sharks full-back will make his official debut for England on Saturday after over a year of waiting. He was called up to the England senior squad in June 2024 for their tour of New Zealand but failed to make an appearance.
He moved closer to a breakthrough last November when he led the back three in an appearance for England A against Australia A, and again when wearing an England senior shirt against the France XV a few weeks ago before this Americas tour. That French match was an uncapped fixture, so he will finally make his debut at 15 against the USA.
Max Ojomoh
Max Ojomoh is another player who has had to be incredibly patient in his pursuit of international honours. The son of former Bath and England back-row Steve Ojomoh has been in red-hot form this year, helping Bath to their first Premiership title since 1996.
The talented centre has earned all his junior England accolades and, like Carpenter, has turned out for the ‘A’ team. Now he has an opportunity to show what he can do in a full senior Test environment.
Arthur Clark
Standing at 6ft 7 in, the Gloucester lock has the build to compete with the very largest and most intimidating players in the world. Has already proven himself capable of mixing it with the very best of the English Premiership. Notably, he also started the 2024 Challenge Cup final aged just 22.
Clark is another player who has done a job in the England ‘A’ colours, so starting alongside the more experienced Alex Coles should be no bother.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Returning from suspension, the rapid Exeter Chiefs winger will be hoping to find the form that led to his initial England call-up at the start of 2024. He would likely have played in the two Tests against Argentina, but was serving a ban for a high tackle in the England XV vs France XV match prior to England’s tour.
Losers
Nick Isiekwe and Afolabi Fasogbon
Despite Steve Borthwick altering the squad heavily this week, neither player has been utilised at all on tour. Nick Isiekwe was given plenty of opportunities in the second-row over the past few years, but failed to make use of them.
Afolabi Fasogbon has been highly regarded by many of the more experienced props he’s come up against, but in what should have been a perfect opportunity to embed him into international rugby, he’s been overlooked again. Fortunately, he has years ahead of him to break into the team, but the same cannot be said of Isiekwe.
Charlie Atkinson
Admittedly still only 23 years old, it feels like the ex-Wasps No.10 has been around a lot longer.
It’s hard to label someone as a ‘loser’ when they have just been selected for their international debut, but not being given a start against the weaker USA is indicative of where Atkinson’s career lies.
He will be aware that this run off the bench could be one of his only real opportunities in an England shirt, particularly with Fin Smith and Marcus Smith set to return to the fold after the Lions tour, not to mention the rumoured Test-level return of Owen Farrell.
Ted Hill
Revealed by Bath boss Johann van Graan to be the fastest player at the club, Hill’s pedigree amongst fans has risen to an all-time high. He is one of the first names on his club’s teamsheet and one of the hardest-working players on the pitch. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm about his ability doesn’t appear to transfer to the international coaching area, as England head coach Borthwick hasn’t granted Hill a tour start.
Instead, his fifth England cap will be from the bench. Borthwick’s refusal to start him is a sad indication of just how far he is from breaking through to the full first-team line-up.