Picking England’s number eight: The ‘superpowers’ that put one player in box seat and who Steve Borthwick should ‘take a punt on’

With Tom Willis committing himself to Bordeaux-Begles for the immediate future from the end of the 2025/26 season, Planet Rugby’s James While looks at the contenders for the shirt that Willis occupied with such success in recent times.

Reading around corners of the internet, the debate surrounding the England number eight shirt is a very nuanced and complex one.

From throwaway lines like ‘Earl isn’t a proper eight’ to passionate advocacy of untested players such as Alfie Barbeary, it appears the conversation is quite a complex one.

Here’s our thoughts on the top five contenders for the England shirt.

Ben Earl (Saracens)

Easily the favourite to continue his excellence in the middle of the back-row, Earl boasts the most metres carried, the most post contact metres and most defenders beaten by any back-rower in Test rugby since the start of 2023. However, in some quarters, there’s archaic thinking about his lack of inches – despite others of similar stature, such as Ardie Savea and Kwagga Smith, also being fine Test match eights.

His superpowers are his speed off the base in carry and his sheer work-rate in the wider channels. Quick and explosive, the only question that might go against him is his hard traffic physicality, but his post contact metres suggest this argument is asked and answered.

Earl’s selection boils down to two things; are you looking to play a wider and more expansive game? And is there a lineout specialist available to play at six? If the answers to these questions are both yes, he’s a no brainer and easily England’s best option.

Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)

A big brawny powerful man, Cunningham-South ticks virtually every box that those advocating a ‘proper shaped’ number eight can possibly want. His lineout work is outstanding, he’s abrasive in close quarters and he’s powerful in traffic carrying.

But, and it’s a big but, is his handling good enough for a Test eight? Quins certainly know it’s not the strongest of his suits. For England too, he’s played as a lock and as a six, places where primary handling under pressure is less important than at eight.

We think that he’s the perfect foil for Earl, so whilst we’d pick him, it’s on the flank with the more skilled Saracen doing the handling duties in the middle of the back-row.

Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)

We all know about Dombrandt’s skill levels and his ability to run killer lines in attack. In that aspect of his game, he’s almost untouchable.

However, has he kicked on since his Test debut? His weaknesses are obvious; he perhaps still carries more poundage than is optimal – but crucially you have to ask does he relish the abrasive close quarter work? Does he embrace running a hard line directly at a Springbok defence and then getting up and doing it again? And, is his defensive abrasion truly Test level? Or does he still fall off tackles he should make with ease?

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The answers to those questions are pretty obvious; Dombrandt remains an enigma; there’s little doubt that had he addressed his physicality and abrasion he’d be a true Test quality eight; but the simple truth is that he hasn’t – and for those reasons, his place in the pecking order is slowly sliding down.

Alfie Barbeary (Bath Rugby)

As an integral part of the dominance of Bath last season, there’s little doubt what Barbeary brings to PREM Rugby. He’s a bowling ball of an eight, massively abrasive and possibly the best traffic carrier available to Steve Borthwick. He scores tries, he clears powerfully and he’s not shy of a steal over the ball.

Only problem is, that generally happens for only 40 or so minutes before the train shunter himself runs out of steam. Then factor in his lack of inches in the lineout and also his propensity to get flat footed in primary defence and his case becomes less compelling.

However, as an impact replacement a la Kwagga Smith or Anthony Jelonch, there’s little doubt his abrasive power running is of the highest order, but if he’s to really challenge for Test starting spots, his fitness and his resilience need to improve greatly. One to watch.

Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers)

Ilone is the bolter of our picks. A hugely talented 22-year-old, he plays across the back row with ease, but confesses he loves the way that playing at eight gives him more ball in hand.

He’s quick, but his real superpower is in ruck and lineout work where already coaches like Geoff Parling are remarking about his ‘wingspan’ – the length of his arms in catch and in jackal, a real feature of the talents of this youngster.

From what we’ve seen of him at Mattolli Woods Welford Road, he certainly doesn’t lack pace or abrasion either, and his ability to get into wide channels to support or challenge in the air is certainly something that will be on England’s radar.

There’s an old adage in sport – if you’re good enough, you’re old enough – and Ilione has enough promise for England to take a punt on him during the Autumn Nations Series – but we feel his optimal role right now is off the bench – and we’re really looking forward to the impact he’ll make.

Conclusion

In the short-term, the shirt is Earl’s to lose. Nobody has the blend of skills he has, nor the experience and match impact. To offset his weaknesses, we’d play Cunningham-South alongside him, and, until the Fiji match when Tom Curry is expected to be fit, Sam Underhill alongside Earl and Cunningham-South in a very balanced unit, with Guy Pepper the next cab off the starting rank in case of injury. But there’s little doubt we’d be relishing seeing Ilione trot on for the last 20 and we’ll be tracking his progress and impact with great interest.

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