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Five England winners and losers as Borthwick names November squad
By Liam Heagney
Steve Borthwick has confirmed an England squad of 36 for the upcoming four-match Autumn Nations Series. They will assemble next Monday at Pennyhill Park before flying to Girona for a warm-weather training camp ahead of the November 2 opener in London versus New Zealand, a fixture followed by further home games against Australia, South Africa and Japan.
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The injured George Ford was named Borthwick’s 37th man, a player listed as still rehabilitating from the thigh muscle torn at Saracens last month when playing for Sale in the Gallagher Premiership. Twenty forwards and 16 backs were officially selected to travel to Spain, a group showing seven changes from the 36 Borthwick originally named on October 4 for a three-day training camp in London from October 7.
The Curry twins, Ben and Tom, Alex Dombrandt, Charlie Ewels and Nick Isiekwe were the five different forwards included at the expense of Alex Coles, Greg Fisilau, Tom Pearson, Ethan Roots and Tom Willis, with Luke Northmore and Henry Slade added to the backs in place of Oscar Beard and Fraser Dingwall. Here are three winners and two losers from the latest England squad selection:
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WINNERS
Alex Lozowski
The Saracens midfielder was the headline inclusion when Borthwick named his early October training squad, as he has not been capped by England since 2018. The now 31-year-old must have trained well on his return as he has been included in the Autumn Nations Series squad even though Slade, following his shoulder operation recovery, and Northmore, after early-season rehab, have also been chosen. The injured Dingwall and Beard have dropped out.
Trevor Davison
It was against Australia in November 2021 when the Northampton tighthead won the last of his two Test caps, but he is now in contention to finally add to that tally having usurped Joe Heyes in the pecking order. The Leicester prop was Borthwick’s initial pick to succeed Kyle Sinckler in the squad for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations and then on the summer tour, but it is Davison who now finds himself rubbing shoulders with Dan Cole and Will Stuart.
Charlie Ewels
There were fears that the lock’s Test career would be prematurely ended by him becoming the first player to get a red card in successive England matches – having been sent off versus Ireland in March 2022, he saw red in his next international match, last June’s tour game away to Japan. However, he started the season well for Bath and although not named by Borthwick on October 4, he was soon called up to the training squad as Coles was unable to train. With Coles still unavailable, Ewels is now packing his bags for Spain next week.
LOSERS
Alex Mitchell
The scrum-half has enjoyed an incredible run with England since his pre-2023 Rugby World Cup omission. Jack van Poortvliet’s injury re-opened the door, resulting in Mitchell being the starting No9 in 13 of his country’s last 16 matches, including the RWC semi-final against South Africa and their most recent matches on tour in New Zealand. A very slow to heal neck injury has sidelined him at Northampton, though, and without a definitive comeback date, van Poortvliet, Borthwick’s No1 number nine until his August 2023 injury, is firmly back in the mix and contesting the Test jersey with Harry Randall and Ben Spencer.
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Tom Willis
Jack Willis’ younger brother has been playing a storm as the Saracens No8 this season, making 75 carries in his four appearances compared to 54 from Ben Earl, Borthwick’s Test-level pick who packs down at openside for Mark McCall’s Londoners. It was August 2023, in a World Cup warm-up in Wales, when he made his debut but making things stick with England and getting a second cap has been elusive. With the more experienced Dombrandt declared fit following last month’s hand injury with Harlequins at Sale, Willis has now dropped out of the England squad despite impressive club form.
Soon to be zero winners and 36 losers…
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Ewels got two red cards in less than four minutes of play.
He's on for a 10-minute red card hattrick if he gets in a 23.
Agreed, I don’t really want to see Ewels in an England shirt again. Test match animals play close to the edge but in his case he sees only the red mist followed by a red card. Good club player but that’s his ceiling IMO.
I am also baffled by Dombrandt’s inclusion over Tom Willis. England have lacked go forward in the tight and Willis has brought that in buckets at club level, for both Wasps and Saracens. Give him the opportunity at Test level. Dombrandt is a slightly different kind of 8, seemingly more comfortable in the wider channels, and there’s a place for those players, but more importantly to me he’s had enough chances to impress in an England shirt but hasn’t taken them.
England need to win 3/4 of their autumn campaign to call it a success, and I am not sure this squad will get us there.