George Martin OUT! Five potential lock options Steve Borthwick could turn to for remainder of Six Nations campaign
From left to right: George Martin, Ollie Chessum and Ted Hill
England have suffered a crucial blow ahead of their upcoming Six Nations Test against Italy, with lock George Martin ruled out of the rest of the Championship.
The Leicester lock was already struggling with a knee issue, however, he has also now suffered a shoulder injury and is set for surgery.
He had started England’s opening two Tests against Ireland and France and was named on the bench for the Calcutta Cup clash but later pulled out.
With Martin now set for an extended period on the sidelines, Steve Borthwick faces a major selection headache at lock, but who could he turn to?
Well, Planet Rugby assesses the runners and riders to replace George Martin in the England squad for the remainder of the Six Nations.
Ollie Chessum
The front-runner to take the starting shirt is Martin’s Leicester colleague Ollie Chessum, who has already slotted straight back into the starting side. Chessum has really boosted England’s lineout in both his cameos off the bench against Ireland and France as well as in his start against Scotland and his ability to play six almost makes him an extra back-rower on the pitch. He should be the starting option for their final two Tests against Italy and Wales.
Underneath Chessum, the replacement lock options are probably the more interesting debate; given Borthwick has only really given Maro Itoje, Chessum and Martin extended minutes on the pitch this Six Nations.
Ted Hill
A leading contender for the bench spot this Six Nations is Bath forward Ted Hill. Whilst he might be more comfortable in the back-row, he has done a more than commendable job at lock this year for his club and could be a nifty option for Borthwick here as well. He did get a very brief cameo off the bench at lock against Scotland, coming on with just 30 seconds left of regular time, but he has shown serious Test qualities throughout this Premiership campaign.
With Borthwick also now deploying a 6:2 split on the bench, his versatility is a massive tick in his box.
Alex Coles
If Borthwick wants to pick a more regular lock, then Northampton’s Alex Coles could be the go-to option. He has quickly become one of the best lineout forwards in the Premiership in recent years and would really help give England a boost in this area as a result. Coles would also be used to the sort of system Fin Smith wants to run in attack, and would add further Saints synergy to the squad too.
Again, he can also slot in at six as and when needed, which is something Borthwick likes his locks doing and also makes him a valuable asset to have on the bench.
Tom Lockett
If Borthwick wants to turn one eye to the future, which he could certainly do for the remaining two Six Nations Tests given the opposition, Tom Lockett has pushed himself right into the frame after his Man of the Match display for England A. He showed some serious Test match potential in his man-of-the-match performance against Ireland A last weekend, getting through some serious graft and dominating the lineout as well.
It would be a big call to bring him straight in, considering the options mentioned above, but he is clearly someone on the radar.
Hugh Tizard
Another man who has been pushing his way into Borthwick’s thoughts is Saracens man Hugh Tizzard, and he could very easily see himself drafted into the squad. Like Lockett, he showed some decent Test potential in his outing at Ashton Gate, and has been one of his side’s standout performers this past year too. His club partnership with Maro Itoje is also a big positive, and that could transfer nicely over to the Test stage.
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