19 England captains to remember, five minutes to do it. You’d better get cracking…
Can you name every England men’s captain since Martin Johnson hoisted up the Webb Ellis Cup following their World Cup triumph in 2003? As of August 13th, 2023.
“No Mercer or Underhill” – The England standby player for each position after squad announcement
Who will England head coach Steve Borthwick summon if injuries happen in France during the 2023 Rugby World Cup?
The England head coach named his 33-man squad for the showpiece event on Monday with Alex Dombrandt and Henry Slade being the two most notable omissions.
Below, we pick a XV of players likely to be on standby.
#15. Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
We start off with a player out of position. With plenty of fullback cover already in the squad, you would presume that if Freddie Steward got injured, then Henry Arundell or Anthony Watson would be shifted to fullback, with another winger called up. Speedster Murley, who was the fastest England back during the training camp, would surely be the next player off the bench to cover the back-three positions.
#14. Jonny May (Gloucester)
If England were to face injuries late in the tournament, Borthwick might opt for experience and consider summoning one of the most lethal wingers of the past decade, despite his advancing years. May stands as England’s second top try-scorer of all time.
#13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
The biggest shock of the squad announcement, Slade would surely be the only choice for Borthwick should a centre be ruled out. Numerous pundits, including Sir Clive Woodward, are of the opinion that he should have been included from the outset.
#12. Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers)
Both Borthwick and his predecessor Jones evidently hold a favourable opinion of the Tigers’ center. While Porter has not yet delivered a standout performance for England, he proved to be a dependable lieutenant for Borthwick during the latter’s time as the head of Leicester.
#11. Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby)
Arguably the most unpredictable choice among the back-three alternatives, Cokanasiga did not manage to make a strong impression against Wales. However, at his peak performance, he has drawn comparisons to the legendary Jonah Lomu for his combination of speed, size, and ball-carrying power.
