Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England pick 6 uncapped players for tour of Japan and New Zealand

Gabriel Oghre, Rusi Tuima, Fin Baxter and Ethan Roots prepare to scrummage during an England Training session at Pennyhill Park on May 29, 2024 in Bagshot, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

England head coach Steve Borthwick has named six uncapped players in his 36-player squad to travel to Japan and New Zealand, with the Gallagher Premiership’s top try scorer Ollie Sleightholme making the cut.

ADVERTISEMENT

The five other uncapped players that join Sleightholme in the squad are Sale Sharks back-three duo Joe Carpenter and Tom Roebuck, Harlequins loosehead prop Fin Baxter and his teammate centre Luke Northmore, and finally Bristol Bears hooker Gabriel Oghre.

England face Japan in Tokyo on June 22, which will be shown live and for free on RugbyPass TV, before heading to New Zealand for a two-match series against the All Blacks in July.

The squad has been bolstered by the inclusion of Northampton and Bath players following the Premiership final on Saturday, where the Saints came away victorious.

Lock Alex Coles is the only Saints addition in Borthwick’s selection of 20 forwards, while Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Alex Mitchell, Ollie Sleightholme and Fin Smith join the 16-strong cohort of backs.

Fixture
Internationals
Japan
17 - 52
Full-time
England
All Stats and Data

Three Bath forwards have joined the squad- lock Charlie Ewels, tighthead Will Stuart and flanker Sam Underhill off the back of a sensational defensive performance at Twickenham. Scrumhalf Ben Spencer and centre Ollie Lawrence are the two additions to the backs. Their club teammate Ted Hill can perhaps count himself unlucky after another barnstorming performance in the final.

Hill’s back row teammate Alfie Barbeary is another player who has missed out after knocking on the door for selection this season. The No8 was subbed off early in the final due to Beno Obano’s red card, depriving him of a chance to impress the selectors. Borthwick may have also taken preemptive action by omitting loosehead Obano, with a ban expected to follow.

ADVERTISEMENT

The announcement comes a day after it was confirmed that fly-half George Ford will miss the tour due to a pre-existing Achilles injury. Borthwick has not opted to call up another No10 option in his squad though, and will depend on both Marcus Smith and Fin Smith, with Furbank and Henry Slade also capable of covering the position.

“The Summer Series presents a valuable opportunity for the continued development of this squad and is a demanding challenge to conclude the season,” said Borthwick.

“For some of the younger players, it will be their first time touring abroad with England. Travelling together is a great way to build closer bonds and provides an important opportunity for new players to settle into our environment.”

“With the changes in climate, playing conditions, and contrasting styles of rugby from the two opponents we face, we will be challenged on and off the field.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The National Stadium in Tokyo is an incredible venue for Test match rugby, and we will need to be at our very best against a Japanese team who will want to play fast.

“New Zealand’s home record is well documented, and we face a team who came within one point of winning a World Cup.

“Historically it is not a place England have had much success, but we are determined to change that. The players know that they will need to be mentally strong and tactically smart if we are to get the result we want.”

England squad
Forwards
Fin Baxter (Harlequins, uncapped)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 112 caps)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 4 caps)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 5 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 50 caps)
Theo Dan (Saracens, 12 caps)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 17 caps)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 30 caps)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 30 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 90 caps) – captain
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 81 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 93 caps)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)
Gabriel Oghre (Bristol Bears, uncapped)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 5 caps)
Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 38 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 35 caps)

Backs
Joe Carpenter (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs, 3 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 8 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 9 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 24 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 15 caps)
Luke Northmore (Harlequins, uncapped)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 6 caps)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 62 caps)
Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 32 caps)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby, 5 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 33 caps)

Related

ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

5 Comments
f
finn 297 days ago

Flabbergasted that Langdon hasn’t been included. Not sure why Oghre has been included over him.

I had hoped to see Tuima and Moon selected. We could do with another big tighthead lock to backup Martin, and with Earl starting at 8, Roots and Cunngham-South also able to cover 8, and Barbeary and Fisilau likely to break though in the next few years, its not clear if we need to still be investing in Dombrandt, so he could have been dropped to allow another locking option.

I also would have gone for Pearson over Ben Curry, but appreciate its a marginal call.

At scrum half I think its a massive shame we’re not going to see JVP in action. He’s a massive talent. I’m on the record as saying I think Cairns should have been the 3rd scrum half selected, but with JVP out of the picture I think the duo of Spencer and Randall is pretty good as backup to Mitchell.

Not sure why Northmore and Carpenter are in the squad. At fullback the pecking order goes (1) Furbank; (2) Steward; and then arguably (3) and (4) would be Marcus Smith and Tommy Freeman, so its not clear what Carpenter adds. Similarly at 13 Northmore is unlikely to get a look-in ahead of Slade, Lawrence, & Dingwall, and might also be behind Freeman. Given we lack any specialist 12s, I would have liked to see someone like Seb Atkinson get picked, and if we dropped both Northmore and Carpenter that could allow both Tuima and Moon in in the forwards.

Finally, its hard to question the selection of Tom Roebuck, but given that Roebuck, Feyi-Waboso, Freeman, and Sleightholme are all primarily 14s, I wonder if there’s an argument that Murley could have been included instead of Roebuck as he is a specialist left wing? I appreicate not many people will agree with me on this given that Freeman and Sleightholme can both do a good job at 11, but they are different roles and it is good to select specialists where possible.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

T
Tobias Burch 3 hours ago
Why the ‘State of Origin’ will have a big say in Schmidt’s Wallabies selection

GrayHat Hacks Contractor Reclaimed My BTC in Hours

Mid last year, I thought I had stumbled upon a golden opportunity when I joined an online investment group promising substantial returns through rare NFTs. I was thrilled to invest my 1.5 BTC, valued at approximately $90,000 at the time, toward a significant venture. The group’s website appeared polished, featuring impressive testimonials and a “secure escrow” system for transactions. Confident in their credibility, I transferred my BTC to their designated wallet, anticipating the delivery of a valuable NFT. However, days stretched into weeks with only vague excuses, and then the site disappeared entirely. My wallet was empty, and the realization hit me hard: I had been duped by a sophisticated scam, losing the savings I had earmarked for my dream music studio.

In a state of panic and despair, I searched online for solutions and discovered GrayHat Hacks. Their team responded promptly. They outlined their approach, explaining that they would employ blockchain forensics to track my BTC, despite the scammers’ use of a mixing service to obscure the trail. Their team meticulously analyzed the transaction ledger, utilizing advanced algorithms to group wallets and detect patterns. After several hours of diligent effort, they successfully retrieved my BTC. Their transparency throughout the process was reassuring.

That 1.5 BTC represents more than just currency; it’s the foundation of my music studio vision, and GrayHat Hacks restored it when I had nearly lost all hope. For anyone caught up in a dubious investment scheme, they offer an invaluable service. Their expertise in blockchain technology, paired with genuine client support, sets them apart. You can reach them via email at gr ay hathacks @ con tractor . net or Whatsapp +1 (843) 368-3015

78 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year
Search