"Unconvincing" - Five England hopefuls who failed to stand out this weekend

From muted attacking influence to costly defensive lapses, these five players delivered performances that, while not disastrous, are unlikely to have boosted their prospects in the squad.

Despite Harlequins’ emphatic win over the Stormers – with 61 points put on the board at The Stoop – Smith did little to strengthen his case for an England starting role. He controlled proceedings well and orchestrated play effectively, but the trademark Marcus Smith spark never truly ignited. While it was a solid team performance, he will feel he had more to offer.

This was a prime chance to press his claims against Fin Smith and George Ford, yet it ultimately proved inconclusive. It won’t necessarily damage his prospects, and it was far from a poor outing, but it lacked the impact needed to truly catch Steve Borthwick’s eye.

The teenage prodigy remains an exceptional long-term prospect, but his display in Saracens’ victory over Toulouse served as a reminder that he is still learning the game. It underlined why a Six Nations call-up may come a little too soon, despite his obvious talent.

Saracens were unable to make full use of his aerial strengths in the opening half, although his kick chase was impressive, including a smart pounce on Thomas Ramos that helped create territory for their third try.

Toulouse did experience his remarkable leaping ability after the break, but there were also defensive lapses. He chased down Matthis Lebel in the corner but will be disappointed not to prevent the score, with tackling again an area that drew attention. A valuable learning experience for a hugely promising youngster.

Bath ground out a tough away win at Castres, but some of their England hopefuls struggled to make an impression – Arundell among them. Having impressed on his autumn return and scoring against Fiji, he found himself largely peripheral this time.

When he did get involved, it was often unconvincing: he missed four tackles, was tripped up and lost ground on his few carries. With Joe Cokanasiga relegated to the bench, it was an opportunity that passed him by.

With England’s back-row options stacked with quality, every appearance counts, and Hill was unable to separate himself from the pack against Castres. He crossed for Bath’s second try and used his athleticism to contribute around the field, providing some forward momentum.

However, ball security let him down on a couple of occasions and his defensive impact was not as strong as he would have wanted. He did offer value at the lineout, claiming four takes, but overall it was a performance that failed to truly stand out. Not a poor showing, but not one that will linger in the memory.

Hendy has been in impressive form for Northampton Saints this season, and one quieter display against the reigning Champions Cup holders – arguably Europe’s strongest side on paper – does not undo that progress.

He was less influential than in recent weeks but still looked to inject intent into the attack. Once again, he broke tackles and got beyond the defensive line, yet lacked his usual burst. A subdued outing, but not one that extinguishes his England ambitions.