Borthwick's autumn questions as World Cup looms — SkimNews
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- Steve Borthwick named a 36-man England training squad for Tests against Australia on 8 November, Japan on 14 November and New Zealand on 21 November.
- Joe Marchant was recalled at centre and is battling in-form Will Joseph for the number 13 shirt and a possible World Cup place, with Ugo Monye describing the contest as a “shoot-out.”
- Archie McParland was named the third scrum-half behind Jack van Poortvliet and Alex Mitchell, while Kepu Tuipulotu was named the third hooker behind Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie.
- Benhard Janse van Rensburg is out, Seb Atkinson and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso are on rehab, and fly-half Fin Smith will miss training with a calf niggle; Charlie Atkinson was called up on Monday morning.
- Chris Ashton said Borthwick chose the squad largely on experience and relationships rather than form, and argued the coach was under results pressure and too late to make big changes.
- England won only three of eight matches in 2026, a sharp contrast with their winning run 12 months earlier, as Borthwick enters the autumn Tests needing a big November.
Why it matters: With only nine competitive home-nation matches before the 2027 World Cup, Borthwick has little scope to experiment before England face Australia on 8 November. England’s three wins from eight in 2026 make his reliance on established combinations more consequential, as injuries to Seb Atkinson and Fin Smith reopen the centre and fly-half picture.
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