Brian Moore has urged Steve Borthwick to hand Henry Pollock and Noah Caluori starting roles against Argentina, arguing that England’s emerging stars need consistent opportunities rather than more appearances from the bench.
Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Moore praised England’s emphatic 73-8 victory over Fiji but insisted the result alone should not distract from the bigger questions surrounding Borthwick’s best team ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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Brian Moore calls for Pollock and Caluori starts
Pollock produced a sensational impact off the bench in Liverpool, scoring a second-half hat-trick, while debutant Caluori also impressed during his England bow.
Moore believes both have now done enough to earn starts in next weekend’s clash with Argentina.
“The case for Pollock and Caluori to start several games in succession becomes stronger the stronger the opposition faced.”
He added:
“They both delivered off the bench against Fiji but we need to see them start against Argentina away to see what they are truly made of.”
Those comments suggest Moore would like to see Pollock replace Ben Earl in the back row, while Caluori could come into the second row in place of Tom Coles.
England must settle on first-choice combinations
Moore also questioned whether England are any closer to knowing their strongest XV despite the comfortable win over Fiji.
“England have several options that are good enough to compete at this level, but they need to be clarified and honed for them to have their fullest possible effect.”
The former England international argued that Borthwick must now begin building settled combinations rather than continually rotating players.
“What are England’s first-choice combinations?”
He continued by saying supporters should be able to see England’s preferred partnerships becoming clearer with every Test before the World Cup.
Consistency is key
Moore also expressed frustration at the way England’s younger players have been introduced.
“What leaves England fans confused is to see players chosen, then given limited opportunities to prove themselves.”
He added:
“You only get definitive results from playing emerging players consistently in consistent units.”
England travel to Argentina for their final Nations Championship fixture this weekend, where Borthwick now faces a major selection decision after Pollock and Caluori’s impressive contributions from the bench against Fiji.
