Rumours suggest that England’s preliminary 55-man Rugby World Cup squad will include Tom Pearson, an uncapped player from London Irish, as well as Zach Mercer, a number 8 from Montpellier, and Manu Tuilagi, an ace from Sale Sharks.
However, it is even more intriguing that several big names have reportedly been left out by Steve Borthwick, which severely diminishes their chances of making the final team for the tournament in September.
The England coach is expected to announce his training squad within the next few weeks in preparation for their four warm-up games.
Below are five players who have allegedly been snubbed.
#1. Joe Marler
Marler violated one of Steve Borthwick’s primary rules earlier this year, which is the “no sh**talking policy” for the England team.
Consequently, despite his impressive performance with Harlequins this season, he was excluded from the Six Nations squad.
Recently, Marler received a six-week ban (with four weeks suspended) for making inappropriate remarks about Bristol flanker Jake Heenan’s mother.
As he approaches his mid-30s, the possibility of Marler returning to international play appears increasingly improbable.
