“Done with him” – Blacklisted England star hits out at Steve Borthwick

This year’s Six Nations didn’t just bring results — it brought decisions. Big ones. None bigger than George Ford’s omission from the matchday squad after back-to-back defeats to Ireland and Scotland. It wasn’t just a response. It was a statement.

Borthwick isn’t thinking short-term anymore. Every squad announcement, every selection call, is now a trial run for Australia 2027. The margins are tighter, the messaging clearer.

And for some players, that message is hard to ignore: their England chapter may already be over.

Here are five names who look set to miss out for as long as Borthwick is in charge.

The omission of Ford wasn’t subtle.

After back-to-back defeats to Ireland and Scotland, Borthwick didn’t rotate his senior fly-half — he removed him entirely. With Fin Smith handed the reins and the coaching staff doubling down on a refreshed backline, it signalled a strategic shift rather than a temporary tweak.

Ford has been one of England’s most dependable operators over the last decade. But international rugby moves fast, and World Cup cycles move faster. At 30+, he now looks like yesterday’s solution to tomorrow’s problem in the eyes of the current regime.

Could he return in a crisis? Possibly. But coaches rarely pivot away from an established No.10 this decisively unless they’re planning long-term.

Right now, it feels like the page has turned.

The situation surrounding Tom Willis is far more straightforward.

After deciding to move abroad, Willis effectively removed himself from the England equation under RFU selection policy. Borthwick publicly stated that England would invest time in players who will be part of the 2027 World Cup campaign — and confirmed Willis is not in that group.

That’s as clear as it gets.

Regardless of form, availability remains king in Test rugby. Once a player falls outside the strategic pathway, reversals are rare.

For Willis, the door doesn’t look ajar — it looks shut.

Few England stories have been as frustrating as Zach Mercer.

A standout at club level, Mercer has repeatedly found himself on the outside of England’s plans. After being told he wasn’t part of Steve Borthwick’s vision, he openly admitted he felt “done” with England, saying: “I got to the stage where I had to remove myself… and say I was done,” and that “for my mental health, I needed to take a step back.”

That frustration has also been clear in how he views his treatment, admitting: “I just don’t feel like he values what I can offer,” and “I haven’t really been given a crack… to not even be given a game… is tough.” He even acknowledged the deeper issue, stating: “Obviously I don’t fit into the system that he wants to run.”

He later returned to France — a move that, under current selection rules, makes a recall even less likely.

The reality? Mercer doesn’t fit the mould Borthwick appears to prefer at No.8 — a more defensively dominant, collision-heavy profile.

With policy and preference both working against him, his England chapter appears finished.

On paper, Ollie Hassell-Collins ticks boxes.

Size. Power. Finishing ability.

Yet despite strong club form, he’s remained stuck on two caps with little indication he’s climbing back into contention.

Wing is one of the most unforgiving positions in Test rugby. Once a hierarchy forms, it’s difficult to break back in — especially when coaches appear to have stylistic preferences locked in.

The longer Hassell-Collins remains outside the squad, the clearer the message becomes.

Sometimes absence says everything.

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