Former England star Nick Easter questions three omissions by Steve Borthwick

bySteven Smith

Ex-England number eight Nick Easter has shared his thoughts on Steve Borthwick’s 36-man squad for the upcoming Autumn Nations Series.

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Writing in his column for Planet Rugby, Easter didn’t hold back when it came to discussing some notable inclusions and omissions.

Form Players Get Their Shot

Easter applauded the selection of in-form players, saying:

“On the form pick front, we see Alex Lozowski, Luke Northmore, Ben Spencer, Tom Roebuck and Jack van Poortvliet come in on the back of impressive displays in the Premiership. I am all for the inclusion of those players.”

However, he raised eyebrows about a few who missed the cut.

Where’s Lennox Anyanwu and Will Butt?

Easter questioned why Lennox Anyanwu, Will Butt, and Gabriel Ibitoye hadn’t been called up. He argued that Anyanwu and Butt could provide the balance England needs:

“In the case of Aynanwu and Butt, they’re the 12s that might enable Lawrence to move to his more favoured 13.”

He also mentioned the potential of young tightheads Afo Fasogbon and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, suggesting they might have benefited from an "apprentice role" in the squad, a tactic used previously by Eddie Jones.

Read is full column here.

Dan Cole Still Has the Power

Easter made it clear that veteran prop Dan Cole has plenty to offer, saying:

“He’s a high-quality scrummager who has taken apart a few Test tightheads in his time. His power and fight will help England enormously, but he needs mobility alongside him in the scrum to balance out a drop-off in carrying power.”

England vs New Zealand: Easter’s Thoughts on the Opener

Looking ahead to the Autumn opener against the All Blacks, Easter reflected on his own experiences playing against New Zealand, noting their open style of play:

“Tests against New Zealand are often a lot more open and free handling than against other top Tier One sides. I recall noticing how much time we had with ball in hand when I played against them—a testament to their willingness to play, as they would say, running footy.”

He’s excited about England’s backline, especially the potential combination of Tommy Freeman and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso on the wings:

“The big aerial challenger and the open-field runner… gives a target for kick chases, but, with Furbank likely at 15, there’s a real counter-attack option if the opposition over-kick in exit.”

Nick Easter’s England XV for the Autumn Opener

Here’s Easter’s ideal line-up for the November clash:

15: George Furbank
14: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
13: Henry Slade
12: Ollie Lawrence
11: Tommy Freeman
10: Marcus Smith
9: Ben Spencer
8: Ben Earl
7: Sam Underhill
6: Ollie Chessum
5: George Martin
4: Maro Itoje
3: Dan Cole
2: Jamie George
1: Ellis Genge

Replacements:

16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Chandler Cunningham-South, 20 Alex Dombrandt, 21 Harry Randall, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Tom Roebuck

Sixteen England players expected to feature in Andy Farrell’s 2025 British & Irish Lions squad

According to the latest odds, bookmakers have highlighted a compelling selection for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour, combining established talent with rising stars.

The back-three features powerhouse winger Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland) as a standout, with odds of 1/16, alongside Irish duo James Lowe (1/8) and Hugo Keenan (1/5), both integral to Ireland’s recent success. England's Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (4/9) and Tommy Freeman (8/11) add youthful energy, while George Furbank (2/1) rounds off the versatile options.

In the centres, Bundee Aki (Ireland) leads the pack at 1/5, supported by England’s Ollie Lawrence (1/4) and Scotland’s dynamic Sione Tuipulotu (2/7). Veteran Robbie Henshaw (Ireland) also makes the cut at 8/11.

At fly-half, Owen Farrell (England) is heavily favored (1/10), while Marcus Smith (8/15) and Finn Russell (8/11) promise creativity.

Scrum-half selections are led by Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland), with Alex Mitchell and Ben White battling for spots. In the pack, stalwarts like Maro Itoje (1/33) and Tadhg Furlong (1/8) headline, as rising players such as Ben Earl (1/5) and Caelan Doris (1/5) look set to play key roles. The odds reveal a blend of experience and fresh talent for the upcoming tour.