Charlie Bracken, son of 2003 World Cup winner Kyran, has been named in Steve Borthwick’s England training squad for the summer tour, one of 16 uncapped players included.
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Rapid rise at Saracens
The 21-year-old scrum-half has just 10 Premiership appearances to his name but featured off the bench in each of Saracens’ final five league matches this season.
More than a famous name
An England U20 international, Bracken has shown he’s more than just a legacy pick. He’s a tough, sharp nine with a dangerous turn of pace.
Try scorer with instinct
He grabbed his first Premiership try in Saracens’ rout of Newcastle, sniping over smartly from the back of a dominant maul.
Eyes on Twickenham
Bracken will now help England prepare for their summer fixtures, including a showdown with a France XV at Twickenham on June 21
England’s 36-player training squad
Forwards
- Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
- Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs)
- Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
- Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
- Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
- Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
- Theo Dan (Saracens)
- Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints)
- Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
- Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester Rugby)
- Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
- Manny Iyogun (Northampton Saints)
- Jack Kenningham (Harlequins)
- George Kloska (Bristol Bears)
- Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints)
- Tom Lockett (Northampton Saints)
- Gabriel Oghre (Bristol Bears)
- Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints)
- Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks)
- Tom Willis (Saracens)
Backs
- Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby)
- Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby)
- Oscar Beard (Harlequins)
- Charlie Bracken (Saracens)
- Joe Carpenter (Sale Sharks)
- Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
- Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
- George Ford (Sale Sharks)
- Rekeiti Ma'asi-White (Sale Sharks)
- Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
- Luke Northmore (Harlequins)
- Will Porter (Harlequins)
- Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks)
- Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)
- Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
- Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
Rehabilitation
- George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Not considered for selection due to injury
- Joe Batley (Bristol Bears)
- Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby)
- Alex Lozowski (Saracens)
- George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
- Harry Randall (Bristol Bears)
Stay tuned for more updates from England's summer preparations, including the final squad announcement on 23 June.
EDITORS PICKS
- Owen Farrell Transfer Race: Two Clubs Remain as Tigers Drop Out
- Former England fly-half confirms he’s swapped nations after receiving first call-up
- Leicester Tigers sign controversial international star to replace departing
- Wales finally replace Warren Gatland after mid-Six Nations sacking
- “His first” – Referee confirmed for the Gallagher Premiership final
Farrell adds THREE more players to his British & Irish Lions squad
The trio will link up with the squad in Portugal next week as preparations continue for the fixture against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, 20 June, followed by the Lions’ tour opener against the Western Force in Perth on 28 June.
Here’s a closer look at each of the new faces:
? Asher Opoku-Fordjour (England, Tighthead Prop)
Age: 20
Club: Sale Sharks
Caps: 1 (England)
Club: Sale Sharks
Caps: 1 (England)
A name on the rise, Opoku-Fordjour’s call-up caps off a breakthrough season for the Sale Sharks tighthead. The 20-year-old made his England debut during the autumn internationals and quickly turned heads with his power at the scrum and mobility around the park. He was also shortlisted for Premiership Young Player of the Season, a testament to his growing influence.
With Tadhg Furlong (injury), Will Stuart (unavailable), and Zander Fagerson (injured) all missing, Farrell has turned to one of England’s brightest front-row prospects to bolster the Lions' depth.
? Jamie George (England, Hooker)
Age: 33
Club: Saracens
Caps: 101 (England)
Club: Saracens
Caps: 101 (England)
One of the most experienced hookers in world rugby, Jamie George brings leadership, set-piece precision, and a wealth of big-game experience. A three-time British & Irish Lions tourist (2017, 2021), George offers Farrell a reliable and proven option amid a hooker shortage—with both Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher tied up with Leinster.
George remains a cornerstone for Saracens and England, and his addition adds serious quality to the training setup in Portugal.
? Finlay Bealham (Ireland, Prop) - replaces injured Zander Fagerson
Age: 32
Club: Connacht
Caps: 41 (Ireland)
Club: Connacht
Caps: 41 (Ireland)
A versatile front-rower capable of playing both sides of the scrum, Bealham has quietly become a key contributor for both Connacht and Ireland. He was part of Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning Six Nations squad in 2023 and featured prominently at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
With his solid scrummaging, hard carries, and a knack for linking play, Bealham adds valuable depth and experience—particularly with so many Leinster players unavailable due to the URC final.
? Lions Under Pressure
With 12 Leinster players, as well as stars from Bath and Leicester, currently tied up in domestic finals, Farrell is working with a skeleton crew—especially in the front row. These new call-ups will provide crucial support in training and could push for tour match involvement if injuries persist.
Expect official confirmation of the full extended squad on Monday as the Lions gear up for a demanding summer campaign.
British & Irish Lions Squad – Portugal Training Camp
Forwards:
- Finlay Bealham (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
- Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland) #838
- Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks/England) #851
- Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
- Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England) #853
- Ben Earl (Saracens/England)
- Jamie George (Saracens/England) #819
- Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England)
- Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) #825 (C)
- Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales)
- Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks/England)
- Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints/England)
- Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland)
Backs:
- Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) #837
- Elliot Daly (Saracens/England) #822
- Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England)
- Mack Hansen (Connacht Rugby/Ireland)
- Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
- Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England)
- Fin Smith (Northampton Saints/England)
- Marcus Smith (Harlequins/England) #855
- Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
- Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby/Scotland) #841
- Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby/Wales)
2025 British & Irish Lions Fixtures
1888 Cup
- 20/06/25: Lions v Argentina, Aviva Stadium, Dublin –
KO 8:00pm
2025 Qatar Airways Lions Series
- 28/06/25: Western Force v Lions, Optus Stadium, Perth – KO 10:45am
- 02/07/25: Queensland Reds v Lions, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane – KO 10:45am
- 05/07/25: NSW Waratahs v Lions, Allianz Stadium, Sydney – KO 10:45am
- 09/07/25: ACT Brumbies v Lions, Gio Stadium, Canberra – KO 10:45am
- 12/07/25: Invitational Australia & NZ XV v Lions, Adelaide Oval – KO 10:15am
- 19/07/25: Wallabies v Lions, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane – KO 10:45am
- 22/07/25: First Nations & Pasifika XV v Lions, Marvel Stadium, Melbourne – KO 10:45am
- 26/07/25: Wallabies v Lions, MCG, Melbourne – KO 10:45am
- 02/08/25: Wallabies v Lions, Accor Stadium, Sydney – KO 10:45am
TOUGH QUIZ: Can you name EVERY British & Irish Lions captain of the past 50 Years?
To make this a little bit more difficult, some of the more recent tours included multiple captains, with both needed to be named if you want to ace this Lions Tour quiz. You have six minutes to get all of your answers down, and your time starts... Now!
