Head coach Steve Borthwick doesn’t give off the air of a gambling man but given England have suffered in recent times so perhaps he would be better to twist than stick.
The Autumn Nations Series disaster may have faded into memory but the travails of key players like Owen Farrell and Jonny May remain very relevant. Form has deserted some of his regulars and no international squad can carry too many passengers.
So is it time to consider who might be this year’s late bolter for the 2023 Six Nations? On form, at least one of these players should be under consideration when England’s latest squad is named tomorrow.
Borthwick’s men will open their campaign at Twickenham Stadium against Scotland, on Saturday 4 February (4:45pm KO).
They will then host Italy on Sunday 12 February (3pm KO), before travelling to Cardiff for a clash with Wales on Saturday 25 February (4:45pm KO).
England’s meet with France will be contested at Twickenham on Saturday 11 March (4:45pm KO), and their final game sees them face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday 18 March (5pm KO).
5 players Steve Borthwick should call-up:
#1. Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Daly scored a first-half hat-trick as Saracens claimed a bonus-point win over Lyon to maintain their winning start in the Heineken Champions Cup.
The speedster bagged his treble in just seven minutes and 20 seconds, on a crisp north London night.
Daly is not part of England’s wider Elite Player Squad, and was not called to Borthwick’s mini camp at the start of the month.