Sometimes, you only begin to notice how old a player is when things start to go wrong.
England’s lineout against Ireland was not entirely Luke Cowan-Dickie’s fault. It certainly never looks great when a hooker throws the ball straight to the opposition while the rest of his team-mates appear oblivious, but that kind of error marks a collective failure, a breakdown in communication between thrower and caller and (assuming that England planned to have one) a receiver.
After what proved to be Cowan-Dickie’s final lineout before being unceremoniously hooked off after 29 minutes, his throw to the tail went over the outstretched fingertips of Ollie Chessum, not an easy feat when you consider that Chessum is 6ft 7in and lifted into the air.
Chessum immediately made eye contact with Cowan-Dickie after landing on the ground, with the hooker holding out his arms, an expression that translated to “what was that?”, as the pair ran to get into position in England’s defensive line. It embodied England’s set-piece and Cowan-Dickie’s personal frustrations.
Steve Borthwick said after the defeat to Scotland that he had backed certain players to deliver a performance against Ireland after the way the previous week had gone. Cowan-Dickie being penalised for a no-arms tackle had not helped England on a bad day at Murrayfield. Now here he was a week later, once more the starter, being withdrawn before the half-hour mark because “we’d had two lineouts very early in the game not go the way we wanted them to”, as Borthwick put it pragmatically.
Cowan-Dickie is 33 this summer. He will probably start again for England at some point, maybe even as soon as Rome, in what really would be a sign of unwavering faith in a player hailed for his physicality. Jamie George, who replaced Cowan-Dickie, is 35 and has already announced that he will retire after next year’s Rugby World Cup.
In terms of the rugby player life cycle, they are old. And yet England are currently banking on them both weathering the ups and downs or form and fitness to be there in 2027, partly because there are so few other viable candidates. Where, for example, is Theo Dan?
There was a period a decade ago where a narrative developed around when Eddie Jones would hand a first England start to George, at the time locked in as the replacement hooker behind the England captain, Dylan Hartley. It went on for so long that George ended up starting a Test for the British and Irish Lions – all three in fact on the 2017 tour of New Zealand – before he finally started a Test match for his country, after 19 caps as a replacement.
Since Cowan-Dickie returned to the fold in autumn of 2024, Dan made one appearance that autumn against New Zealand, one in the 2025 Six Nations against Ireland, and had two caps in Argentina over the summer
It was an extensive but undoubtedly effective apprenticeship, and when Dan emerged as a World Cup bolter for England back in 2023, Borthwick’s first year in charge, it felt as though the cycle was about to repeat itself with Dan learning from George, except with the benefit of them both playing for the same club at Saracens before Dan eventually succeeded his mentor. Cowan-Dickie missed that World Cup with a shoulder injury, making Jack Walker the third hooker in the group.
Dan has been a constant in England squads ever since, to the extent that he was awarded an Enhanced Elite Player squad contract by the Rugby Football Union in October 2024 when others – Freddie Steward, Sam Underhill, Chander Cunningham-South – missed out.
Since Cowan-Dickie returned to the fold in autumn of 2024, Dan made one appearance that autumn against New Zealand, one in the 2025 Six Nations against Ireland, and had two caps in Argentina over the summer, starting his first Test since the Bronze Final at the World Cup. It did not go well, forced off with a knee injury after England’s lineout had misfired and having been penalised for a high tackle. This season he has played only nine Test minutes, off the bench in the final game of the autumn against Argentina. His EPS deal was not renewed this season, making Dan the only player to lose that status.
Which is all a long way of saying, it feels impossible to know how good Dan is. England clearly like him enough to keep him around, just not enough to pick him.
Dan has real talent. When Saracens traveled to face Toulon in the Champions Cup last season he had the French TV commentators cooing over a brilliant run, beating three defenders, before offloading to set up a try. His work in the loose and over the breakdown is spoken of highly by coaches and team-mates.
A source described that carrying threat as Dan’s super strength, the pace and power he has combined with his footwork to beat defenders, to win the collision. He understandably in the past has been compared with Schalk Brits, the former Saracens and South Africa hooker who was a dangerous runner.
The knock on Dan, consistently, has been that his set-piece work is not up to the same standard, a theory boosted by how England’s lineout went in Argentina when George was rested for the second Test ahead of flying out to join the Lions in Australia, meaning that Dan came in for a rare start.
Dan is understood to have upped his review work around both his own processes and those of the opposition, taking the lessons from that and then diligently working on his own approach
Development for front-rowers in that area is a process, and you need live reps to hone your craft. During his early 20s, Dan missed about 15 months because of a major knee injury, valuable playing and training time you cannot get back.
The problem as a front-rower is that once the label of ‘not great at the set-piece’ is tied to you, it can be incredibly hard to remove.
Per a source, there has been no lack of hard work behind the scenes by Dan to kick on in those areas at Saracens. Simon Hardy, the former England lineout coach who was part of the national setup for many years and previously worked with a young George, has been brought in by Saracens to work on Dan’s throwing, with signs of progress.
Regarding the scrum, Dan is understood to have upped his review work around both his own processes and those of the opposition, taking the lessons from that and then diligently working on his own approach, the source added.
Are England seeing those improvements? Do they trust Dan enough to start a Test match in Rome with the team under pressure? There is a real chance that he may finish this block having trained with the squad for months without seeing a single minute on the field.
Outside of Dan there are a number of prospects, some older than others, all with a whole lack of experience: Walker, Curtis Langdon, Jamie Blamire, Nathan Jibulu, Kepu Tuipulotu. Of the lot it feels as though Tuipulotu is the most talented, a standout in recent years for the England Under-20s, with no real weakness across the many areas of his game. Strong in the set-piece and outstanding in open play.
All of a sudden it no longer feels like England can necessarily rely on two hookers in their mid-30s by the time they touch down in Australia next year.
Which raises its own question. If England are not going to play Dan, who has been involved now for almost three years with his playing time diminishing each season, then would this Six Nations not have been better spent having Tuipulotu train as the third hooker instead? Building up his experience and familiarity with the systems in the squad, before unleashing him imminently for what will probably be the start of a long Test career?
With Cowan-Dickie having been hooked and George a key part of England’s bench from a leadership perspective, all of a sudden it no longer feels like England can necessarily rely on two hookers in their mid-30s by the time they touch down in Australia next year. If there is a time to back Dan and see what he is capable of, then it has to be now.
Eng need to worry. That’s all.
Primary worry should be Borthwick being in charge. He’s the biggest obstacle to success that England have
He has such depth in basically every other position, is he now not allowed a slight headache in the front row?
Having reflected on ENG’s 6N’s campaign, we know from the Autumn Internationals this ENG squad is capable of more than they have currently shown and selection mistakes, injuries and form have impacted this 6N’s performance (it’s not been good enough).
However, the current issues appear to be more about selection & coaching, where the game tactics have been changed (more ball in hand, less kicking), yet selection hasn’t changed to select the best people to play those tactics (10, 11, 12, 13 & 15 have been poor selections so far).
However, whilst it is plausible the current coaches can reverse the current performance trend and either reverse the game tactics to suit George Ford, or migrate to the Fin Smith style of Saints attack, it’s doubtful this current squad is good enough to topple SA at RWC 2027 as they are - so that’s the key takeaway.
With that in mind, you have to ask who else comes into the squad that makes a difference, adds another string to the bow of ENG’s attack, or can take this team forward and you are really left with the following options;
Will Stuart - his value has increased by not playing and has been a massive loss.
Fin Baxter - one of the most improving players in the squad (alongside Heyes) and we have missed his energy off the bench this Autumn.
AOF, Sela or Fasogbon - Whilst AOF felt like this would be his time to shine, the lack of depth at tighthead does beg the question why Fasogbon has not been tested given his stronger scrummaging capability that ENG are in need of. It does beg the question why Fasogbon’s face does not fit this squad?
Dan, Blamire, Oghre or Tuipulotu - it does feel like we are over reliant on George & LCD and probably need to see more of two of the following. The change to the smaller, more mobile back row has probably moved away from Dan and I think we should make a decision regaring Blamire or Oghre and bring Tuipulotu into the squad, who brings a point of difference with his size and carrying (which we currently need).
George Martin - Providing he can maintain his fitness and be injury free (which signing for Saracens does suggest they believe will be possible), he should add another dimension to the squad and either he or Chessum would strengthen the bench.
JvP, Quirke, McPartland or Bracken - Having waited the best part of 3 years for JvP & Quirke to be fit, I am at a bit of a loss why we didn’t include them earlier. However, 2 of these 4 will need games and for better or worse, we need to add greater depth and experience to our current 9 options than we have.
Owen Farrell - We currently have 3 x 10’s but a coach that doesn’t appear to trust them and George Ford has stumbled yet again and fluffed his lines. We’ve almost had this merry-go-round of selection confusion at 10 since 2015 and I wonder if Borthers will slip back to his point of comfort as has happened the last 3 times we asked this same question? If Borthwick doesn’t trust either of the two Smiths’s to lead the attack then maybe he needs to give himself another option.
Janse Van Rensberg - Probably the one true curve ball, which is totally unproven but could be the answer to ENG’s long term problem at 12. Time will tell but he will add something to the current squad on both sides of the ball.
Noah Caluori or George Hendy - I don’t think they have the room to fit both, so a decision will need to be made, Hendy is the more versatile, with the ability to cover Furbank at 15 but Caluori has a unique aerial gift that is special. Both are young and inexperienced but feels like at least one of them deserves their chance (at the expense of Murley).
We are 20 months out and it potentially suggests 9 of our 36 could change, which would sill make quite a difference.
However the key question that is becoming more pressing is can Steve Borthwick and his rigid systems approach be flexible enough to accommodate them, or does Borthwick’s structures hold back the squad? Put another way, is Borthwick becoming the new Razor, who is holding back the trajectory and potential of the squad for RWC 2027?
The more I see of Borthwick, he looks like a good forwards coach, who really struggles with attack.
I’ve never understood the thinking at scrum half during Borthwick’s tenure.
ENG were lucky to have Ben Youngs & Danny Care for so long but once JvP & Quirke were waiting in the wings it looked like the next generation of clones were about to be deployed . . . . So having waited the best part of 3 years to get both of them fit, we don’t pick them and decide to go down another cul-de-sac of Ben Spencer & Randall, which we appear to be moving from again.
It shouldn’t be as difficult as Borthers is making it look but he does appear to have selection confusion at 9 & 10, which is pretty key in the International game.
Then let’s not discuss the selection confusion in the centres. 🤣🤣
Plenty of good hookers but none get a look in past George and LCD with Borthwick. It’s very short sighted given LCD’s dips in form and George’s age. Oghre is prob the best all round hooker in the Prem. Langdon is good but has misfortune with injuries. Blanker is good but throwing lets him down (kind of a younger LCD). Tuipolotu needs more experience and to work on throwing but has a high ceiling. Blake shows promise at Gloucester. Dan is decent albeit a bit lightweight and has not managed to truly surpass George at Saracens. There is talent there but the lack of exposure at international level is an issue. The stalwarts should sit out the Nations Cup to build depth and let the younger generation step up
Jamie George has been a fine servant to England Rugby. His line out throwing was always exceptional and he always contributed around the park, which has declined in the last 2 years.
LCD looked the heir apparent but as Borthers has pursued his smaller, more mobile 5x7’s, it has put a premium on line out accuracy with only 2 recognised jumpers, which has exposed LCD’s line out accuracy issues (always been inconsistent), whilst injuries have always punctuated his career.
At RWC2023, Dan was the surprise 3rd choice bolter, as Borthers tried to play an expansive game, so was in the squad for his mobility, whereas the subsequent smaller, more mobile back row has put an additional premium on larger front 5 players that can scrum well (to compete) with a smaller back row support in the scrum.
With this in mind, you need good scrummaging hookers, who are strong in D and can also carry well. This basically says it’s between Blamire, Oghre & Tuipulotu and rather than rely on 2 x +30 something hookers maintaining form and injury (as Borthers is), this is where ENG should be playing 2 of the third choice hookers so they are prepared and we have failed to learn the lesson of throwing Jack Walker in very late and asking Jamie George to play 75 min shifts in games (as a result).
Personally, George appears to he helping with the captaincy side of things given Maro’s current form and likely bench role, so I would drop LCD for the next 2 games and be playing either Blamire or Oghre, with Tuipulotu involved in the squad (so you can better assess them all).
Longer term, Tuipulotu has a carrying ability the others can’t match and his 118KG frame is a considerable advantage the others do not have (Oghre & Dan about 105KG, Blamire 113KG & Tuipulotu 118 KG) but he needs games and this is the one thing Borthers is currently missing.
For a man that acknowledged he didn’t have many games left when he dropped Tom Willis from the squad, he is not giving many games to the likes of Tuipulotu, CC-S, Quirke, F Smith, Atkinson, Ojomoh, Caluori or Hendy, who are the profile of players that should be pressing their claim towards RWC 2027 squad.
In this regard, FRA are a long way ahead of ENG are are starting to see the rewards of the wider squad development since the summer.
I have to say, considering his team have gone out and put in two awful performances, Steve Borthwick appears to back himself to turn the ship in these next results.
I think injury and fatigue is really catching up with his players, so it needs a bigger shake up than you would normally expect, so I was a little disappointed to see Cunningham-South, Murley, Ojomoh, Atkinson & Furbank being sent back to their clubs for the week to then meet up next week (which likely means they will not be considered).
At least Fin Smith wasn’t sent back to play in the PREM Cup fixtures, at least there is some hope Borthwick will see the light at some stage. 🤣🤣
I’m know the players released to the clubs doesn’t offer much confidence for selection for the Italy game. Hope I am proved wrong. The interview from Borthwick stating he feels relaxed really concerned me as after the last two matches which were dreadful and the complete drop off in performance and execution he should feel under pressure and England should be adopting a bit of a siege mentality. The whole environment around the team just seems off and something is not right. Think Borthwick has run his course
In the Southern hemisphere the thinking has always been that a National team needs at least 4 Test standard players in each position. I agree that hooker is an area that England need to look at.
But the same is true at lock, fly half and fullback.
Is the talent coming through quickly enough?
Is Borthwick's loyalty to his players blinding him to the fact that there are still 18 months of hard rugby between now and the World Cup?
Shouldn't players like Dan and Tuipulotou at hooker, Hodge at fullback, Seb Atkinson at 12, and Charlie Atkinson at fly half be given test match exposure now?
Borthwick hasn’t really built depth unless forced to by injuries. There are plenty players deserving of a chance but are overlooked notably Oghre and Blamire at hooker, Batley and Bamber at lock. There need to be more A team games to expose players but ultimately at test level they need to be exposed to credible opponents to determine if they can cut it or not. Unfortunately England are often very short sighted in this regard whereas others like SA, NZ, Australia, France, Ireland, and Scotland try to develop depth where possible
The change in strategy to the lightweight mobile back row means the front 5 forwards have to work harder than ever.
I think this will go against Theo Dan and I actually think 118 KG Kepu Tuipuloto will be the likely 3rd choice and he may even be pushing for more than that given his carrying ability, which ENG could do with.
George Martin has also been a big loss that would nudge Ollie Chessum back to the bench and if you have a bench of Baxter, Tuipulotu, Heyes, Chessum, Curry, Pollock that’s a fairly high energy and impactful bench that would strengthen and improve the current squad in time for RWC 2027.
Oghre should be looked at. At least as a bridge between the old guard and Jubulu and Tuipulotu. Oghre’s lineout work is good and he is impactful in the loose. Possibly not as good as Dan in this area, but enough to make an impact.
Jubulu is excellent in the loose but his throwing needs development. He could develop into an excellent bench option internationally. Tuipulotu is potentially the best of the bunch in that he is strong in the set piece, carries well and has great hands for a front rower.
I would disagree about scrum half depth. McParland is an excellent prospect, Bracken is getting more game time for Saracens and Friday is getting rave reviews for England U20 and at Quins. We definitely have a group of players coming through in that area in the age bracket below van Poortvliet and Quirke.
A depth chart of
Mitchell
Spencer
van Poortvliet
Quirke
Randall
Is to not too bad to perm from. A bigger concern is fly half as outside of Finn Smith and Atkinson their is not much coming through in the early to mid 20s bracket. Even with the successsful recent U20 teams they have been built on a strong pack, not a dominent fly half.
Marcus Smith for fly half rather than full back, where he always looks out of his depth at international level?
I'm not into your scrum half depth chart. The problem for me are twofold:
1) I don't rate Spencer at international level, I think he's way off the pace
2) Below JVP no one has any experience
Right now imo we've got Mitchell, a JVP who's barely played then a whole lot of nothing. Quirke is overrated, Randall I love but he's not going to make for various reasons.. I'm hoping one of Bracken, Friday and McParland will put their hands up and leapfrog into 3rd along with JVP and Mitchell.
I don't think hooker depth is a huge worry right now. LCD had a shocker but he's had Six Nations before where he's hardly missed a throw. I'm still confident in JG and LCD with Theo Dan, Frost, Singleton, Jamie Balmire, Langdon, Tuipulotu etc waiting in the wings.
Scrum half is the biggest depth issue. Will be good to see how JVP goes. Right now Mitchell is the only established 9.
I think they should be giving games to both Oghre & Tuipulotu, as it’s going to get harder for LCD & George to maintain form & fitness (as they get older) and we need to have a few youngsters that can step in and fill the gap (if required).