Ranked: England backline depth chart ahead of Nations Championship as Steve Borthwick ‘changes tack’ in attack
Steve Borthwick (left) faces some big calls in his backline this summer
With July’s Nations Championship Tests against the Springboks, Fiji and Argentina on the horizon, Planet Rugby looks at the full England depth chart. First up, it’s the backline.
Steve Borthwick comes into the summer tour under serious pressure, but following the performance against France in their final Six Nations Test, there is a sense of optimism surrounding their attack. It seems attack coach Lee Blackett has been given the full freedom to run the show ball-in-hand now, with England changing tack to a much more expansive, fast-paced system in Paris than they had done in any of the previous outings.
With that thought in mind, it could very much determine who goes on the tour this summer and who stays at home. Form is, of course, also a key metric to judge on, but Blackett’s system cries out for silky playmaking in the halves, a balance between punch, power and handling in midfield and a combination of aerial and ground threats across the back-three. England are certainly spoiled for choice in that department, but just who will Borthwick pick?
Here’s our take on the current depth chart across the backline.
Full-back
The number 15 shirt has been a problem area for England for a little while now, with George Furbank not fully fit for the Six Nations and neither Freddie Steward or Elliot Daly really able to make it their own either; but with the Saints man up and running, it seems he is in pole position to start this summer.
Furbank is almost an archetypal full-back to fit into Blackett’s attack. His playmaking skills allow him to act as an extra fly-half at times, be it to link with the wingers or even to step in at first-receiver, but that’s blended with genuine threat in the carry and an ability to break through space whenever possible and top-notch aerial work too. Now he’s putting a string of games together, and decent performances within that, he should be set for a big summer.
Steward will again be hot on his heels, though, and probably sits at number two in the depth chart at the moment. His thumb surgery has taken out some of the momentum he was building up with Leicester in recent outings, but he has been in really good form across the league season and is again taking another big step in his attacking game too.
Marcus Smith is again likely to act as that versatile 10/15 cover option this summer, despite his desire to be seen more as an out-and-out fly-half, and probably sits as the number three at the time of writing.
Underneath them, Joe Carpenter is getting good minutes under his belt again after a pretty stop-start few months, and George Hendy is also likely to be in the mix. The pair both missed out on the recent alignment camp, though.
5. George Hendy
4. Joe Carpenter
3. Marcus Smith
2. Freddie Steward
1. George Furbank
Wing
Elsewhere in the back-three, it seems clear-cut that Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will start at either 11 or 14, even with him recently undergoing surgery. The Chiefs winger has simply been unplayable at times since his return from injury, which makes his absence during the Six Nations an even harder pill to swallow, and he simply commands a start this July.
Who partners him is another question, though. Tommy Freeman and Tom Roebuck are the likely two options, but with the Saints man expected to be more of a centre option again, it seems the Sale man will get the nod on the wing. Roebuck is also a proper aerial threat, which is something both Borthwick and Blackett like from their wingers.
Around them, Cadan Murley also looks likely to be in the mix somewhere, with him again hitting top form despite Harlequins’ relative struggles this season, while Noah Caluori’s and Adam Radwan’s inclusions in the extended alignment camp suggests they are in the discussion too. It’s very much a possibility that all six men tour this summer, too, with Borthwick not afraid to bring plenty of wingers.
Henry Arundell, the aforementioned Hendy and Ollie Hassell-Collins are also in the mix, but they did miss out on the three-day camp last week and seem to be just behind the group above.
9. Ollie Hassell-Collins
8. George Hendy
7. Henry Arundell
6. Adam Radwan
5. Noah Caluori
4. Cadan Murley
3. Tommy Freeman
2. Tom Roebuck
1. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Outside centre
As mentioned above, Freeman is starting to be seen more as a centre option for England right now, and likely sits at number one in the outside centre chart at the time of writing. His lack of game-time here for Northampton is potentially an issue, but given he almost has a free role in that attack, it’s not the end of the world. England looked a lot stronger in the backline when Freeman shifted into the centres during the Six Nations, and at times in the autumn as well, and crucially they can utilise his desire to get his hands on the ball more at 13.
Henry Slade is likely the man in second spot in the current depth chart, too, with the Exeter man again in and around the squad. He hasn’t had it easy at Test level in the past year, though, seemingly losing his spot to Freeman, but he is one of the more experienced heads in the group now and is still very much in good form for Exeter. He also impressed on his last Test appearance, which is a good sign.
While he might have missed out on the alignment camp, Ollie Lawrence is certainly in the frame for the summer tour, but he does seem to be below both Freeman and Slade in the pecking order now. This could be down to current form, where the Bath man has not quite been at the same level as he has been in times gone by, but again, he was one of England’s standout players during the winning run of 2025 and is still coming back from a pretty grim Achilles injury as well.
Will Wand’s second PREM Player of the Month award might have also pricked the ears of the England staff, too, but he is very much in the bolter category.
4. Will Wand
3. Ollie Lawrence
2. Henry Slade
1. Tommy Freeman
Inside centre
The big talking point out of the last alignment camp was the selection of Bristol Bears man Benhard Janse van Rensburg, and it seems he is currently in pole position to don the 12 shirt when he becomes eligible on July 8. The South African-native is exactly what Blackett wants from his number 12, too, big, powerful and gritty in the carry but also able to add in some deft handling around it, and let’s face it, his fast-tracking into the side is being done for a reason.
Seb Atkinson will likely be the number two option, following his inclusion at the end of the Six Nations, and plays in a very similar way to Janse van Rensburg, too. He is very comfortable slotting into first-receiver, which is something England utilised to good effect against France where they could let the fly-half sit just a bit deeper than normal, while also adding some proper grunt in the carry too. With the Bristol man unavailable for the opener, Atkinson will likely feature against the Boks.
Fraser Dingwall does seem to have slipped down the pecking order a touch after the Six Nations, but again his silky playmaking makes him a great option to start at inside centre, while Max Ojomoh will also be in the discussion despite missing out on the alignment camp.
4. Max Ojomoh
3. Fraser Dingwall
2. Seb Atkinson
1. Benhard Janse van Rensburg
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Fly-half
This is a position that will continue to dominate headlines looking towards the summer tour, but Fin Smith is really peaking at the right time and probably sits top of the list. The Northampton man ended England’s Six Nations as the man the hotseat, and played a key role in their dramatic upturn in performance against France. Smith also likes to play at tempo and attack the line, but also with Janse van Rensburg, Atkinson or Furbank in the squad he can afford to sit in those slightly deeper pockets of space where he can dictate play from.
George Ford is a very similar player, and was the beating heart of England’s winning run in 2025. Sale’s form does not put in him in the best light ahead of the tour, but he has never failed to deliver at the Test stage as is again going to be a key leader in the squad this summer. M. Smith’s versatility means he is no longer just viewed as a number 10, but he is certainly an option to feature here and probably sits at number three in the chart.
Underneath them, Billy Searle has been absolutely red-hot for Leicester Tigers this season, and while he is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, his return has been teased and that could once again throw him into the England conversation. Harvey Skinner is a bolter call, but he has also been in good form for Exeter in recent weeks and could be a left-field shout.
5. Harvey Skinner
4. Billy Searle
3. Marcus Smith
2. George Ford
1. Fin Smith
Scrum-half
Nine is another major headache for Borthwick ahead of the summer tour, with Alex Mitchell set to miss it through injury. In that case, Ben Spencer seems the likely option to start at scrum-half, with the Bath skipper enjoying another fine season and ending the Six Nations as England’s man with Mitchell again sidelined; but, he too is under a potential cloud after leaving the alignment camp early. However, should be deemed fit to tour, he will likely be Borthwick’s starter.
Jack van Poortvliet is also very much in the discussion looking towards the summer, following a string of stellar outings for Leicester. The Tigers man does the nuts and bolts superbly well when needed, but he also would give England an extra threat around the fringes of the ruck, which would replicate what Mitchell brought to the side.
Young duo Archie McParland and Charlie Bracken are also right in the hunt for the summer tour, and given the travel demands this July, could both be involved in some capacity. This would not only be a good way to reward their form, with both men enjoying strong seasons for Northampton and Saracens respectively, but also fast-track their development, looking towards the World Cup and even beyond.
Harry Randall and Raffi Quirke continue to be in the conversation over a Test re-call, despite missing out on the alignment camp, while Lucas Friday is also a bolter shout after his impressive performances for Harlequins this year.
7. Lucas Friday
6. Raffi Quirke
5. Harry Randall
4. Charlie Bracken
3. Archie McParland
2. Jack van Poortvliet
1. Ben Spencer
Injuries: Alex Mitchell, Elliot Daly, Will Muir
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