Henry Slade has been left out of England’s World Cup squad with Steve Borthwick also omitting Alex Dombrandt and Joe Cokanasiga from his final 33. Slade’s omission is a shock as Borthwick axed eight players who appeared in England’s disappointing defeat by Wales on Saturday.
Joe Marchant is the beneficiary of Slade’s omission while there are also places for Ben Earl and Henry Arundell. Slade is a former vice-captain, started four Six Nations matches this year and has 56 caps to his name but appeared off the bench in Cardiff for just 10 minutes and was informed by Borthwick that he will not be part of the squad on Sunday.
Instead, Borthwick has opted for an extra, 19th forward, with only 14 backs selected. In total, the squad has more than 1,400 caps, including 16 players who were part of the 2019 squad.
Dombrandt is also left out of the backrow possibilities, along with Tom Willis and Tom Pearson. Earl is a surprise inclusion while Lewis Ludlam is charged with providing No 8 cover to Billy Vunipola. Elsewhere, Cokanasiga is omitted with Arundell preferred as the winger with a point of difference.
That Marchant can also play on the wing – he finished Saturday’s match there – has worked in his favour with Borthwick preferring power and versatility rather than Slade’s sleight of hand. It also suggests Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence are in for busy tournaments and could be paired together for the first time against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday.
Borthwick has also bolstered his forward ranks, picking 10 for the back-five places with both George Martin and David Ribbans getting the nod despite inauspicious performances in Cardiff. They, along with Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum and Courtney Lawes form the secondrow options with Jack Willis and Tom Curry joining Vunipola, Ludlam and Earl as the backrows.
All of the secondrows are also options at blindside flanker. Pearson, who endured a mixed debut in Cardiff, has been edged out while the absence of a second specialist No 8 seems a gamble given Vunipola has been rehabbing from a knee injury sustained in April. It was a similar story in 2019 when Mark Wilson eventually acted as the stand-in.
In the backs, Borthwick’s insistence on taking three scrumhalves – Ben Youngs, Jack van Poortvliet and Danny Care – as well as three No 10s in Owen Farrell, George Ford and Marcus Smith meant an onus on versatility elsewhere. For all Slade’s qualities, despite the odd cameo at fullback, he is a centre by trade and Marchant’s ability to play on the wing will have counted in his favour. Smith’s inclusion also put the writing on the wall for Slade.
Elliot Daly is another who can play multiple positions and he is joined in the back-three ranks by Anthony Watson, Freddie Steward, Max Malins and Arundell. The latter has started only once for England – a largely forgettable appearance against Ireland – but while Borthwick has filled the majority of his squad with grafters, Arundell has an X-factor that England will welcome.
Mako Vunipola is also omitted from the squad, having failed to recover from a back injury sustained towards the end of last season, with Bevan Rodd joining Ellis Genge and Joe Marler as the loosehead prop options. Kyle Sinckler, Dan Cole and Will Stuart are the tightheads while Theo Dan is preferred to Jamie Blamire as the third-choice hooker, joining Jamie George and Jack Walker, the latter selected despite carrying a calf injury.
“Rugby World Cups involve unique challenges in terms of the demands on players, the need for squad flexibility and the limited number of squad places available,” said Borthwick. “France 2023 is no different, but I am confident we have selected a squad of 33 that is well able to meet those challenges and leave us best placed to be at our most competitive in this exciting tournament.
“There have been a number of very difficult selection decisions to make, given the quality of our wider training squad. Some very good players have missed out on selection such has been the competition for places over the last eight weeks and more of preparation.
“As Saturday’s game in Cardiff proved, we have a series of demanding Test matches through August as we continue that preparation towards our opening Rugby World Cup pool game against an in-form Argentina side. We believe that announcing the squad a little earlier than otherwise might have been the case, brings a clarity and certainty to the group, allowing the players as much time as possible to settle and develop as a squad.”
ENGLAND SQUAD
Backs: H Arundell (Racing 92), D Care (Harlequins), E Daly (Saracens), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Sale Sharks), O Lawrence (Bath), M Malins (Bristol), J Marchant (Stade Francais), M Smith (Harlequins), F Steward (Leicester), M Tuilagi (Sale Sharks), J van Poortvliet (Leicester), A Watson (unattached), B Youngs (Leicester).
Forwards: O Chessum (Leicester), D Cole (Leicester), T Curry (Sale Sharks), T Dan (Saracens), B Earl (Saracens), E Genge (Bristol), J George (Saracens), M Itoje (Saracens), C Lawes (Northampton), L Ludlam (Northampton), J Marler (Harlequins), G Martin (Leicester), D Ribbans (Toulon), B Rodd (Sale Sharks), K Sinckler (Bristol), W Stuart (Bath), B Vunipola (Saracens), J Walker (Harlequins), J Willis (Toulouse).
