England squad for the 2026 Six Nations: Shock pick from Steve Borthwick

Monday, 19 January 2026 at 15:42

byCharlie Elliott

With the Six Nations squad announcement imminent and the championship kicking off in just under three weeks, attention turns to Steve Borthwick’s England selections.

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He arguably has the strongest pool of players available during his tenure, and an 11-match winning run in 2025 has raised expectations. Here, we examine the squad options and selection calls facing England as momentum builds.

Loosehead prop: Ellis Genge, Beno Obano, Bevan Rodd

Ellis Genge and Bevan Rodd are close to automatic selections. Fin Baxter would almost certainly have claimed the final spot were it not for his ongoing injury, which opens the door for Beno Obano to complete the group.

Tighthead prop: Joe Heyes, Afolabi Fasogbon, Trevor Davison

With both Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour sidelined through injury, focus turns to their replacements. Afolabi Fasogbon is a standout prospect whose Test debut feels imminent, and fast-tracking him would mirror England’s approach with Opoku-Fordjour last year. Trevor Davison provides experience and reliability, while the in-form Joe Heyes looks the natural choice to start.

Hooker: Jamie George, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jamie Blamire

Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie are near-certainties. The third hooker slot is more open following Theo Dan’s recent dip in form, and Jamie Blamire emerges as the strongest contender. Consistent and performing well for Leicester Tigers, he would offer dependable cover behind the established pairing.

Second row: Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Chandler Cunningham-South, Alex Coles

Maro Itoje and Ollie Chessum pick themselves, with Itoje also likely to resume the captaincy. The remaining spots are less straightforward. George Martin’s prolonged absence through shoulder injury raises questions over his readiness for Test rugby, which could tilt the balance in favour of Chandler Cunningham-South.

Alex Coles was a quiet standout in the autumn, offering physicality and consistency in the engine room, and deserves to retain his place.

Back row: Ted Hill, Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Henry Pollock, Guy Pepper, Ben Curry

Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill and Guy Pepper all impressed in the autumn and are straightforward selections. Henry Pollock adds a point of difference as a squad option, bringing unpredictability if required.

Ted Hill’s versatility, including cover in the second row, and consistently high level of performance make him an underrated but valuable inclusion, while Ben Curry earns his place despite missing the autumn, having impressed on the summer tour of Argentina.

Scrum-half: Alex Mitchell, Ben Spencer, Raffi Quirke

Alex Mitchell and Ben Spencer are firmly established as the leading options. Raffi Quirke fills the third spot well. After a slow start to the season, he has rediscovered his form for Sale and once again shown his explosive qualities ahead of his move to Newcastle Red Bulls.

Fly-half: George Ford, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith

The real question here is who starts rather than who is selected. All three fly-halves have earned their place, leaving Steve Borthwick with a welcome selection headache.

Centre: Fraser Dingwall, Ollie Lawrence, Max Ojomoh, Henry Slade

Ollie Lawrence is expected to return straight into the side following his recovery from long-term injury. Fraser Dingwall continues to act as the glue in England’s midfield, while Max Ojomoh deserves another opportunity after strong club form and an eye-catching performance against Argentina. Henry Slade has been in outstanding form for Exeter Chiefs and merits inclusion on that basis.

Back three: Tommy Freeman, Tom Roebuck, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Elliot Daly, Freddie Steward

Tommy Freeman may be deployed at outside centre but remains a back-three option. Tom Roebuck and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso should also be selected, provided Roebuck recovers in time from his toe injury. Elliot Daly’s versatility adds value across the backline, while Freddie Steward impressed at full-back in the autumn and looks set to continue there.