England summer training squad: 5 winners

A British and Irish Lions year always opens up opportunities for Home Nations players who’ve previously been on the outside looking in at national team selection to go on summer tours with their respective countries.

With Maro Itoje leading the Lions in Australia, alongside England teammate Ollie Chessum, and George Martin still rehabbing an injury, Emgland are missing three frontline locks, for example.

So, while Steve Borthwick’s 33-man training squad contains all of his 2025 Six Nations squad minus Lions tourists and Northampton and Bath players focused on this weekend’s European action, there is still room for 14 uncapped players and those who’ve recently proved their fitness.

Here are some of the winners from the squad:

Emeka Ilione (Leicester)
Has mainly been used off the bench by the Tigers in the Premiership this season – 17 of his 19 appearances have been ‘riding the pine’ – but what an impact the medical student has made. At 1.88m and 114kg, Ilione, the former England U20 flanker, cuts an imposing figure on the pitch, and he caught the eye with a brace in the recent win against Sale Sharks, muscling his way over from close range.

Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
In an interview with last Sunday’s Rugby Paper, Murley spoke about how he was desperate to win a second cap and put right the wrongs of a shaky debut against Ireland in Dublin in the opening round of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations, and now he’ll get his chance. Murley has timed his return from the foot injury he sustained in that match to perfection, with a hat-trick against Gloucester in Harlequins’ Big Summer Kick-Off reminding Borthwick of what he can do.

Arthur Clark (Gloucester)
Talking of foot injuries, Clark broke his when Murley stepped on it during England’s training camp in Girona pre-Six Nations. Making those two roommates may not be the best idea in Argentina and the USA! Clark has returned from that ‘friendly fire’ incident with some bruising performances in the Cherry & Whites’ push for the play-offs. Gloucester haven’t had anyone capped by England since Jonny May played at the 2023 World Cup, but Clark is one of four from Kingsholm heading to South America. The inclusion of Exeter’s Richard Capstick and Bristol’s Joe Batley, again, is also noteworthy and highlights the lack of strength in depth in the lock department.

Seb Atkinson (Gloucester)
While his namesake, Gloucester teammate and fellow tourist, Charlie Atkinson, has pulled on an England A shirt in anger before, Seb Atkinson has never played any of the England age-grade or representative sides, an untimely injury ruining an England U20s call-up a few years ago. Atkinson plays right to the gain line and has good distribution skills under pressure and isn’t afraid to bang people in defence, either.

Tobias Elliott (Saracens)
Has come from relatively nowhere to be one of Saracens’ leading lights this season. Fourteen of his 15 league appearances have been starts, and he’s crossed for seven tries, a respectable return for any winger, let alone one who’s only two years into his senior pro career. Brilliant at finishing off tries in the corner, Elliott will be looking to translate his superb form for the U20s onto the senior international stage. Can also play centre and fly-half.