With the 2027 Rugby World Cup now just over a year away, several former England internationals could find themselves weighing up their international futures.
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World Rugby’s eligibility rules allow capped players to switch allegiance in certain circumstances, opening the door for a number of familiar names to represent another nation before next year’s tournament.
Here are five England players who could make the switch.
1 Dave Ewers
Although he never actually made an appearance for England, Ewers was called up to England’s 2016 Six Nations squad.
He was a member of the Chiefs side that reached six consecutive Premiership finals, winning in 2017 and 2020, and won the European Champions Cup in 2020. He made 226 appearances for the Chiefs, and scored 40 tries.
Ewers could actually play against England, as the nation of his birth, Zimbabwe, are in the same pool as them.
In April, the retired No.8 linked up with the Zimbabwe on a trial, opening the door to a potential international comeback more than a decade after first being in the England setup.
The 35-year-old brought his professional career to a close at the end of last season after a brief spell with the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship, seemingly drawing the curtain on a long and successful club journey.
2 Billy Vunipola
In-form Montpellier player Vunipola could theoretically play for a nation that isn’t England at the next World Cup.
The 33-year-old back-rower, who qualifies for England, Australia and Tonga, recently confirmed he would not switch allegiances to represent the Pacific Islanders despite strong speculation surrounding a potential move.
Vunipola said it “didn’t feel right” after earning 75 caps for England and admitted he would rather not block opportunities for younger Tongan players coming through the system.
While Tonga is now officially off the table, Australia could yet emerge as a shock possibility through his birthplace qualification.
Born in Australia to Tongan parents and raised largely in Wales during his younger years, Vunipola’s rugby journey has spanned multiple nations.
However, current World Rugby eligibility rules prevent him from representing Wales despite spending much of his childhood there.
