Steve Borthwick may rest Maro Itoje and other England seniors for the summer Nations Championship, with Ollie Chessum set to captain at least one Test — opening against South Africa in Johannesburg on 4 July.
Steve Borthwick has indicated he may rest captain Maro Itoje and other senior players for some or all of England's summer Nations Championship campaign, with a final squad decision due next month. In Itoje's absence, Ollie Chessum is likely to lead England in at least one of the July Tests.
The tournament format takes England across three continents on successive weekends — opening against the Springboks in Johannesburg on 4 July before concluding in Santiago del Estero on 18 July.
Borthwick's centre headache has a new frontrunner: Janse van Rensburg is rated the likely starter at 12 for England's Tests against Fiji and Argentina, though he's ineligible for the opener against the Springboks. The piece ranks all options at 12 and 13, with Freeman locked in outside and Slade unlucky to be on the fringes.
Irish TV personality Gráinne Seoige tells the Lekker Rugby Pod that walking into Loftus for the 2024 Ireland test was the most intimidating rugby atmosphere she has ever experienced, and argues that Rassie Erasmus's cultural transformation of Springbok rugby is a bigger achievement than the World Cup wins.
Alex Mitchell is doubtful for England's Nations Championship campaign, including the Springbok test in Johannesburg, after pulling a hamstring in a squad training camp.
O'Keeffe revisits the France-Springboks quarter-final controversy, stands by his performance, and opens up on the personal fallout — while drawing a pointed parallel to Wayne Barnes as someone defined by one call but remembered for a career.
A resurfaced podcast interview shows Janse van Rensburg admitting his kids would question an England decision and that the Boks would mean "so much more" — complicating his already divisive Nations Championship call-up.