Asher Opoku-Fordjour called up as England make two squad changes

Recent World Rugby U20 Championship title winner Asher Opoku-Fordjour has been named as Joe Marler’s replacement in the England Autumn Nations Series squad. The 34-year-old Marler, who left camp at Pennyhill last Monday night, announced his Test level retirement on Sunday morning.

The Harlequins prop took the decision to call it quits following a week where he caused uproar with his social media comments about the New Zealand haka, initially branding it ridiculous and calling for it to be binned before eventually apologising.

A starter in the July 6 loss to New Zealand in Dunedin, Marler returned from breaking his foot in that match to gain selection in Steve Borthwick’s autumn squad. He travelled to Spain for the warm-weather training camp in Girona but left the squad for personal reasons this past week after they had completed their Monday training at Pennyhill.

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Marler’s retirement has now opened up a spot for Opoku-Fordjour, the Sale prop who has been packing down at tighthead for the Sharks following his July World Cup triumph with the England U20s at their starting loosehead.

During the age-grade tournament in South Africa, Opoku-Fordjour spoke to RugbyPass about his Test-level ambitions, and he now comes into Borthwick’s squad of 36 as one of two changes following Saturday’s 22-24 series opening loss to New Zealand.

The other alteration ahead of the visit of the Wallabies to Allianz Stadium is also in the forwards, with Charlie Ewels recalled at the expense of his Bath club colleague Ted Hill. Ewels, the injured Ollie Chessum and Tom Roebuck were omitted last Sunday when Borthwick issued his previous squad update ahead of the All Blacks week, with Hill, Alex Coles and George Ford coming in.

An RFU statement on the latest England squad read: “Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks) and Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby) have been called up to England’s 36-player squad, replacing Joe Marler (Harlequins) and Ted Hill (Bath Rugby) as preparations begin for the upcoming Test match against Australia at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday, November 9.”

England squad (vs Australia)
Forwards (20)
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Theo Dan (Saracens)
Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)

Backs (16):
Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)
George Ford (Sale Sharks)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby)
Alex Lozowski (Saracens)
Luke Northmore (Harlequins)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)

"At Stormers there was a loosehead I just couldn’t figure out."

– INTERVIEW: Asher Opoku-Fordjour, with Liam Heagney ??? at the U20 Championship in Cape Town, on the art of scrummaging. #WorldRugbyU20s #EnglandRugby #RSAvENG #rugby

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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 7, 2024