Former England international Andy Goode has selected his 33-man squad for the fast approaching 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Head coach Steve Borthwick will confirm his final group for the showpiece tournament on Monday with this weekend's match with Wales acting as a last chance balloon for some players.
Goode wrote I this column for Rugby Pass: "Steve Borthwick is one of the most meticulous and data driven head coaches around so, of course, selection isn’t going to based on one game but there are likely four or five spots in his World Cup squad not yet completely inked in and Saturday should play a decisive role."
Regarding his old position, Goode added: "I have a feeling he’ll take all three fly halves as well because obviously Owen Farrell can play centre if required, Marcus Smith has x-factor and George Ford is someone Borthwick knows inside out and trusts to be a coach on the field.
"It’d be a massive call to leave any of them out, although taking all three probably does leave you a bit short in the back three, but if you were cutting one, it’d have to be Ford because of Smith’s ability to change a game from the bench."
Check out his full squad list below.
Andy Goode's England 2023 World Cup Squad
Forwards
Hookers: Jamie Blamire, Theo Dan, Jamie George
Props: Ellis Genge, Joe Marler, Bevan Rodd, Dan Cole, Kyle Sinckler, Will Stuart
Ellis Genge of England during the Guinness Six Nations match between England and France at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on Saturday 11th March 2023 | Photo: James Fearn/PPAUK.
Second rows: Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, George Martin
Maro Itoje of England during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Tonga at Twickenham Stoop on 6 November 2021. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
Back rows: Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Tom Pearson, Billy Vunipola, Jack Willis
Tom Curry of England during the Autumn Nations International Series match between England and South Africa at Twickenham, London on 26 November 2022 (Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
Backs
Scrum-halfs: Danny Care, Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Youngs
Danny Care of England arriving before the six Nations Championship match, between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium, London , UK, on the 17th March 2017. (Photo:Dean Lancaster/PPAUK)
Fly-halfs: Owen Farrell, George Ford, Marcus Smith
A dejected Owen Farrell of England applauds in the direction of the England supporters at full-time following the Guinness Six Nations match between England and France at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on Saturday 11th March 2023 | Photo: James Fearn/PPAUK.
Centres: Elliot Daly, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Marchant, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi
Manu Tuilagi will likely leave Sale Sharks this summer
Outside backs: Henry Arundell, Cadan Murley, Freddie Steward, Anthony Watson
Freddie Steward of England during the Six Nations Match between England and Italy at Twickenham, London on 12 Feb 2023 (Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK)
