Ranking England's centre options ahead of the new season

Steve Borthwick is gradually building a deep squad in areas that once seemed threadbare, but the midfield continues to be a problem area.

‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.’ That has to be Steve Borthwick’s ethos as he continues to crack maybe the hardest problem for any England coach this century. He will have to settle on a partnership, or at least narrow down his options, eventually, to give time before the World Cup, but there are still obstacles in doing that.

So here is what the centre hierarchy in England may look like at the moment, discounting any uncapped players or those based abroad, such as Joe Marchant. The players will be ranked in three tiers: ‘locked in’ – those not only guaranteed to make an England squad, but very likely to start, ‘in the mix’ – those who could make their way into Borhtwick’s wider squad with a strong start to the season, and ‘work to do’ – those who are capped but largely out of contention currently.

The new Gallagher PREM season is almost upon us, and there is ample room for changes in this list as the England coaches still seek the perfect partnership.

Fixture

Internationals

England

25 - 7

Full-time

Australia

All Stats and Data

Safe

1. Ollie Lawrence
Of all the options England have, Lawrence is the only one that seems to be for the present and the future. At the age of 25, he is hitting his straps and looks likely to be a feature of the England midfield for years to come, though Borthwick himself seems unsure as to whether that will be in the No.12 jersey or No.13. The only problem? He will miss at least the Autumn Nations Series as he overcomes his ruptured Achilles. This will give Borthwick a chance to try out new players, but it robs England of another year of building a settled partnership.

2. Elliot Daly
Though primarily deployed as a back-three option, it is worth including Daly in this list given midfield injuries and therefore a lack of standout options. The 32-year-old’s chances to play at outside centre have been fairly limited for England, but he is more than capable of slotting in there, and that may be a viable option with England’s welter of wingers and George Furbank, Marcus Smith and Freddie Steward all full-back options. Daly looked to be in fine form for the British & Irish Lions before breaking his arm, and Borthwick surely knows that he will do a job for him.

3. Henry Slade
Borthwick looked to have started the process of phasing Slade out of the England squad in the final rounds of this year’s Six Nations. He started again in Argentina, only to break his arm in the first Test, playing the full 80 nevertheless. Who knows whether the Exeter Chiefs star will make the World Cup in 2027, but with Lawrence unavailable for the start of the season, and the alternatives lacking experience, it would be odd to rid yourself of a player who has 73 England caps to his name, and his Elite Player Squad contract suggests that he will continue to be a fixture.

In the mix

4. Fraser Dingwall
The summer tour of Argentina could have been Dingwall’s chance to cement his place in the England midfield after coming in in the final two rounds of the Six Nations and looking assured. However, an injury prevented Borthwick’s ‘glue player’ from kicking on, as he saw four centres earn new caps. His good work during the Six Nations will surely keep him ahead of the up-and-coming pack, but he will need a strong start to the season with the Saints to avoid missing the autumn squad.

5. Max Ojomoh
After missing out on the two Tests against Argentina, Ojomoh was handed his debut against the USA, impressing at inside centre. Comfortable as a playmaker, kicking, carrying and, crucially, playing in either midfield role, the 24-year-old is a complete player and arguably has the most potential on this list. What may separate Ojomoh from the rest of the options is that he plays alongside Lawrence in the midfield week in, week out for Bath. That relationship could be invaluable for England. He just needs an injury-free season ahead.

7. Owen Farrell
The former England captain needs to slot into this list somewhere after his return to England, but the reason he is so low down is that he may no longer be seen as a viable option at inside centre. Then again, with the battle between George Ford, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith for the No.10 jersey, this may be a way of alleviating a selection headache for Borthwick. Andy Farrell certainly went down this route for the Lions.

10. Seb Atkinson
Gloucester’s Atkinson can feel more than happy with his first two England appearances – two starts against Argentina in July – particularly his defensive effort in a new-look system. With so many newly-capped players on this list, what works in the 23-year-old’s favour is the fact that he is a more accomplished inside centre, which is the more problematic of the two slots for England, and has been for a while.

9. Luke Northmore
After making his England debut in the second July Test against the Pumas, starting in Slade’s place, before retaining his place against the USA, Northmore did everything he needed to do to prove that he is a bona fide option in Test rugby. However, being more comfortable in the No.13 shirt makes him a slightly less desirable option – only marginally – as England have more choices there.

10. Oscar Beard
Only given 20 minutes from the bench against the USA in July, Quins’ Beard hasn’t yet had the chance to prove himself on the Test stage. Being primarily an outside centre, or even a wing, may work against him, and he will need a barnstorming campaign at the Stoop to add any more minutes this season.

Work to do

11. Will Joseph
An England debutant at the age of 19 in 2022 under Eddie Jones, Joseph has been nowhere near Borthwick’s set-up, but his move to Gloucester this season may change his fortunes.