England boss Eddie Jones is set to hand Alex Coles his international debut in his team to face Argentina in their Autumn Nations Series opener.
Here are five things you should know about the 23-year-old Northampton Saints forward.
#1. Where it started
Coles played rugby as a child at Newmarket and Shelford Rugby Club prior to joining the academy of Northampton Saints at the age of fourteen.
#2. Versatility
He is capable of playing in the second or back row .
#3. Family life
He is the son of two vicars.
#4. Studying
He is an undergraduate in politics, philosophy and history at Birkbeck College.
#5. Keen cricketer
Coles has played cricket since he was young, even once bowling against England legend Alastair Cook.
Leaked England XV sees Farrell return as captain and debut for Alex Coles
Back-three:
- 15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
- 14. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
- 11. Joe Cokanasiga (Bath RFC)
DID YOU KNOW?
- In May 2022 Steward was named as the Rugby Players’ Association Player’s Young player of the year and England men’s player of the season
- In April 2017, Nowell was called up for the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, becoming the first player to be selected from Exeter Chiefs by the Lions
- Cokanasiga was born in Fiji but before his third birthday, moved to England with his father, Ilaitia, who was in the British Army
Centres:
- 13. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks)
- 12. Owen Farrell (Saracens)
DID YOU KNOW?
- He was named Manusamoa, after the name of the Samoan national team, Manu Samoa, because his brother Freddie was selected for Samoa at the World Cup in 1991, the year Manu was born
- Farrell celebrates every point he scores by linking his index fingers together to make a ‘JJ’ sign, the Joining Jack salute, Joining Jack being a charity dedicated to the needs of sufferers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy