England's Nations Championship campaign begins in Johannesburg in less than two weeks, with Steve Borthwick's side facing the toughest possible opening assignment against back-to-back world champions South Africa.
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After a disappointing year that raised fresh questions about England's progress, the tournament presents an opportunity to reset and make a statement. Here, we predict the 23 players Borthwick could select for the showdown.
Back Three
15 George Furbank
14 Tommy Freeman
11 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
Freddie Steward has been a reliable performer at international level, but his Six Nations campaign fell short of expectations, making a change at full-back feel necessary.
With Northampton Saints, George Furbank has shown he offers a complete skill set and looks the ideal candidate to take over the role.
His inclusion would also complement Tommy Freeman on the wing, allowing him to return to his preferred position after a stint at outside centre that produced mixed results.
Feyi-Waboso's selection depends on his recovery from injury, but having featured in the Prem final, he appears fit enough to be involved.
Centres
13 Max Ojomoh
12 Seb Atkinson
With Benhard Janse van Rensburg unavailable for selection against South Africa, England's midfield options are slightly limited.
Ojomoh and Atkinson are arguably the most exciting long-term prospects in the centre positions and deserve the opportunity to build a partnership that could become a key part of England's future.
POLL:
Halfbacks
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell
Although Mitchell has only recently returned from injury and was arguably eclipsed by teammate Archie McParland towards the end of the season, he remains the frontrunner for the starting scrum-half role. His established understanding with Northampton Saints teammate Fin Smith strengthens his case.
Smith, meanwhile, has done enough to earn a sustained run in the number 10 shirt ahead of George Ford. Ford's performances this season have been inconsistent, while Smith offers a more rounded and dynamic option with significant room for further development.
Front Row
1 Ellis Genge
2 Jamie George
3 Joe Heyes
The front row largely selects itself. Unless Steve Borthwick chooses to follow South Africa's approach of introducing key power players from the bench, all three should start.
Genge and Heyes are comfortably England's strongest options at prop, while George continues to bring invaluable leadership and experience despite showing some signs of decline with age. His role as captain only reinforces his importance to the side.
Second Row
4 Alex Coles
5 George Martin
Some may be surprised to see Ollie Chessum absent from the second row, but he still features in the starting XV. A partnership between Coles and Martin offers an appealing balance, with Coles providing mobility and work rate while Martin brings considerable physical power.
Both arrive in strong form, and it would be encouraging to see Martin return after an extended spell on the sidelines.
Back Row
6 Ollie Chessum
7 Henry Pollock
8 Ben Earl
Ted Hill's inclusion in the squad suggests Borthwick may favour a powerful, lineout-focused blindside flanker, a role that suits Leicester Tigers captain Chessum perfectly. His physical presence would be complemented by the pace, energy and attacking threat that Pollock and Earl bring.
Pollock has recently demonstrated the carrying ability of a centre, while Earl has previous experience playing in the midfield.
Together, they would pose a significant challenge for any defence. Both are also highly effective at the breakdown, making them influential contributors on both sides of the ball.
Replacements
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie
17 Beno Obano
18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour
19 Arthur Clark
20 Tom Curry
21 Greg Fisilau
22 Ben Spencer
23 Marcus Smith
Can you name every England Rugby captain of the professional era?
From the early days of professionalism to the modern era, England has seen a host of legendary captains wearing the armband.
Whether it's the grit of Will Carling in the 90s, the tactical brilliance of Martin Johnson, or the fearless leadership of Owen Farrell, this quiz will challenge even the most dedicated fans.
Think you can name them all? Grab your boots and let's see how well you know the men who led England into battle on the world stage!
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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