'It's becoming such a difficult decision for Steve Borthwick'

Former England lock Ben Kay believes England’s second-row is becoming Steve Borthwick’s most difficult selection call a year out from the 2027 World Cup, with Alex Coles continuing to strengthen his case in Northampton Saints’ 71-48 win over Bath.

Coles, who has started England’s last five Tests, was outstanding at DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, scoring a try and helping create another for Josh Kemeny as Saints came out on top in a remarkable 119-point contest.

The 27-year-old repeatedly carried in the wider channels, finishing with two line breaks, 49 metres and four defenders beaten, while also making 17 tackles and winning a turnover. His short line and pass put Kemeny over before he crossed himself later in the contest.

It is a considerable change from last year, when Borthwick was so short of specialist locks that Chandler Cunningham-South was used as second-row cover on the bench for a Test match. Coles is now vying with Maro Itoje, George Martin and Ollie Chessum, with both Coles and Chessum also capable of playing at blindside flanker.

Kay believes the competition could become even fiercer, with Courtney Lawes back in the PREM and English-qualified Newcastle Red Bulls forward Max Hicks also attracting attention after his arrival from Perpignan.

“He’s a slightly different second-row. If you look at [JJ] van der Mescht here, it’s a really good partnership,” Kay said on TNT Sports.

“You’ve got brutality and the brute strength of van der Mescht, and then you’ve got almost that five-and-a-half, six player that combines so well in the wider channels, really good hands, good power running and suits Northampton’s play to a tee.

“It’s becoming such a difficult decision for Steve Borthwick because he’s now got four world-class locks. Coles, we’ve seen what he’s done already today. You add in Ollie Chessum, and we know that either of those two players can play six as well. You then add in George Martin, Maro Itoje.

“And then, there might be a couple of other people that they might be looking at from the back-row as well. Courtney Lawes back in the PREM. That’s probably going to be the most difficult selection that Steve Borthwick’s going to have to make. Max Hicks, for Newcastle, he’s come into the PREM and has rave reviews already.”