Harlequins back-rower Will Evans has put his hand up for England selection ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The 26-year-old tops the turnover charts for any player in the Gallagher Premiership this season, and has once again impressed in every chance he’s had in the famous quarters.
Steve Borthwick is expected to soon be announcing his wider training squad, for England’s upcoming World Cup warm up matches. Evans had put himself in good contention for an England call-up, with hopes that he will feature in one of the four upcoming matches this Summer. England take on Ireland in Dublin, before home and away meetings with Wales and a last stop off at Twickenham Stadium to take on Fiji.
Evans record of 30 turnovers stood at the top for the Premiership’s regular season, however, his accolade is under threat with the Premiership Final on the horizon. During the semi-final victory over Northampton Saints, Saracens back-rower Ben Earl won the ball three additional times at the breakdown, bringing his total on par with Evans at 30.
Like Evans, Earl is an aspirational player for Steve Borthwick’s England squad, and is one such player who fans believed was criminally overlooked during the Eddie Jones era. Despite winning the 2022 Gallagher Premiership Player of the Season Award, Earl was disregarded by Jones, in the former England Head Coaches’ final few months in charge.
Earl has since worked his way onto the fringes of the England senior squad, featuring in Steve Borthwick’s side as recently as the 2023 Guinness Six Nations. Evans has not had such luck, after Harlequins’ had an underwhelming season by their standards.
Quins spent the majority of the season in eighth place, before a late run of form took them to sixth. Evans’ attributes at the ruck have been overshadowed this campaign, with the the Premiership-topping Sarries star Earl hoping to overtake his record in the Premiership Final at Twickenham. Saracens take on Sale Sharks in the Premiership’s showpiece event, giving Earl a fighting chance to top the turnover charts in the final match of the season.