SECOND ROW
4. Joe Launchbury (Toyota Verblitz to Harlequins)
5. Chunya Munga (London Irish to Northampton Saints)
Moving onto the locks, and veteran England international Joe Launchbury takes our number four jersey. We’ve picked the 32-year-old to reinforce the row, after making his return to the Premiership following an albeit brief run in Japan. Launchbury headed to the Far East after Wasps closed their doors back in October 2022, yet a broken hand hindered his on-field minutes at Toyota Verblitz. A well-known face to fans of the Premiership, Launchbury always turns out performances with a workhorses’ ethic. He’s already made seven appearances for Harlequins, and has not closed the door on a re-calling to the England team.
Packing down the row alongside Launchbury, is Northampton Saints’ Chunya Munga. The lock has been enjoying an increased run of game time at Franklin’s Gardens, which to an extent is due to a recent injury to another Saints newcomer. Fijian international Temo Mayanavanua suffered a knee injury at the Rugby World Cup, which ended his campaign ahead of the quarter-finals. Mayanavanua’s debut will have to wait, with Munga making good on his opportunity at his new club. The 22-year-old already has a Saints try to his name, as he crossed over against Doncaster in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
BACK ROW
6. Juan Martin Gonzalez Samso (London Irish to Saracens)
7. Tom Pearson (London Irish to Northampton Saints)
8. Zach Mercer (Montpellier to Gloucester Rugby)
Two former Exiles round off the back-row, as previous London Irish teammates Tom Pearson and Juan Martin Gonzalez Samso have found new homes in the English top flight. Gonzalez arrived at Saracens as being one of the stand-out talents in Argentina’s Rugby World Cup campaign, as he formed a hard-hitting partnership with Marcos Kremer in the Pumas pack. Predominantly a blindside flanker but well versed at number eight, Gonzalez has slotted straight into Mark McCall’s set-up, and marked his debut with a try against Newcastle, to much of the annoyance of his Pumas colleagues last weekend.
Tom Pearson narrowly missed out on Borthwick’s squad for France, yet remains amongst the most talked about young talents in the Premiership. Pearson was named in the wider training group ahead of the Rugby World Cup, yet was cut from the squad after England’s Summer Series loss to Wales. However, this has not hindered the 24-year-old’s drive, as he is making solid performances for Northampton Saints and already has four tries to his name in seven matches.
Another excellent England talent that fans believed was overlooked for the 2023 Six Nations and Rugby World Cup, Zach Mercer is back in the Premiership and is fired up to get back in the international fold. Leaving Montpellier in favour of a move to Gloucester, Mercer was named as the Top 14’s Player of the Year ahead of his move to Kingsholm. A shocking omission by all accounts, now that Mercer is plying his trade back in England, Borthwick could well call on his talents for the February’s 2024 Six Nations.
REPLACEMENTS
16. Augustin Creevy (London Irish to Sale Sharks)
17. Thomas du Toit (Sharks to Bath Rugby)
18. Lovejoy Chawatama (London Irish to Harlequins)
19. Ernst van Ryn (Stormers to Sale Sharks)
20. Tom Willis (Bordeaux-Begles to Saracens)
21. Gareth Simpson (Western Force to Saracens)
22. Jarrod Evans (Cardiff to Harlequins)
23. Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish to Leicester Tigers)