England Six Nations Squad 2025

[Lé Ddanno]

How many of our options don't jump though? This has been a meme since the Japan world cup when people were saying we can't play Curry and Underhill together because neither jump and Curry ended up being one of our main targets

Wouldn't read too much into it, tbh - England coaches go to games every round and he lives in Bath from what I remember
Would imagine they were interested in seeing Obano, though

Ollie Chessum, Tom Curry, Theo Dan, Ben Earl, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Ford, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Ollie Lawrence, George Martin, Alex Mitchell, Henry Slade, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith.

Finn Smith is an amazing contract when he's got about 28 minutes and maybe 4 caps on the actual pitch

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Possibly. Borthwick didn't like him enough to take him to the last RWC and as @Vieux Talonneur has said, moving away from the blitz reduces his importance. Playing 10 isn't going to strengthen his case for starting at 12 or 13 either.

Probably too soon for Ojomoh. He's looked good but it really is only a couple of games at this stage.

He gave him a central contract which is a big commitment and when he knows players and clubs are skeptical of the whole new system and that some are itching for much more radical changes.

 

[Rugbyfan564]

Finn Smith is an amazing contract when he's got about 28 minutes and maybe 4 caps on the actual pitch

A major reason is there not a lot of other options if he went off to France.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Borthwick didn't like him enough to take him to the last RWC

True enough, but he's been first choice since then even when coming off an injury with no game time

I'm hoping his switch to 12, for England, means they are actually looking for a 12 as they now view Lawrence (rightfully) as a 13 - I still expect Slade to start all 6N games though, but hope Ojomoh is in the EPS and, hopefully, on the bench at least once or twice (and starts the A game, and if not then Atkinson plz))

 

[BPM]

He's been on the Eng radar for a while, will be 25 later this year and has 60 or 70 games under his belt for Bath.

If you're talking about consistency of performance or recent game time then fine, otherwise it would probably be the perfect time, especially alongside a club mate.

Maybe, but how often has he started 3 games in a row for Bath?

For a 25yr old, he hasn't really made a definitive breakthrough either through injury or the strength of competition at Bath. That doesn't scream pick me for England.

Compare that to Atkinson who is usually starting week-in, week-out and has been performing consistently well for extended period.

I'd pick Atkinson but Ojomoh has seemed more fancied and he's at least made A squads.

 

[Geordie]

9 Mitchell
10 Marcus
12 Atkinson
13 Lawrence

That'll do for the moment.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Maybe, but how often has he started 3 games in a row for Bath?

For a 25yr old, he hasn't really made a definitive breakthrough either through injury or the strength of competition at Bath. That doesn't scream pick me for England.

Compare that to Atkinson who is usually starting week-in, week-out and has been performing consistently well for extended period.

I'd pick Atkinson but Ojomoh has seemed more fancied and he's at least made A squads.

Don't really mind which. But pick a 12 at 12 and give the whole midfield unit time to gel.

 

[Geordie]

Don't really mind which. But pick a 12 at 12 and give the whole midfield unit time to gel.

Agree with this 100%.
I just want to see an actual 12 playing at 12...

 

[Which Tyler]

Maybe, but how often has he started 3 games in a row for Bath?

Quite often, but then, he's always had the toughest route to first team starts of all the pretenders at 12.
He's not a young inexperienced player, he's a young-ish, experienced player, who's been introduced gradually rather than dropped in at the deep end.

I agree that I'd have Atkinson ahead of him for England, but I'd have Ojomoh ahead of anyone else for the 12 shirt. People saying that they'd have him in the squad for this 6N really isn't people selecting off one performance, he's got plenty of good performances behind him. Which doesn't mean that he's not got anything to work on, or has ironed out the inconsistency that largely comes from trying too hard when he gets his shot - he's still playing in an extremely competitive position for his club.
Unfortunately for SAtkinson, he plays for Gloucester, where he's that bit more hidden from the international selectors. Conversely, Ojomoh is club partner for England's other centre, which always helps when picking between 2 players.

This is not like the calls for Butt ahead of the AIs, where he had a single run of form that was above and beyond what he's ever shown likely before, whilst no-one was showing themselves as an alternative and we were all desperate for a change at 12 and looking for a flavour of the month.
This is Ojomoh showing what he's shown plenty of times before, whilst there's a viable alternative (Seb), and we are all desperate for a change at 12, but less interested in a flavour of the month.

 

[Geordie]

George Martin injured...not sure how long for...

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

George Martin injured...not sure how long for...

Is it me, or has he had a few?

Chessum, Martin, IFW, Furbank all out or questionable. We're calling for Slade to be dropped, T Curry isn't where he'd want to be and presumably we won't have 3 10s in a match day squad. Central contracts going well….before someone inevitably gets broken in training.

Underhill obviously also out too.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No Martin and maybe no Chessum (though think he's due back this week) - who are the locks?

Maro, Ewels with Coles on the bench?
Not gonna put the fear of God into many

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Quite often, but then, he's always had the toughest route to first team starts of all the pretenders at 12.
He's not a young inexperienced player, he's a young-ish, experienced player, who's been introduced gradually rather than dropped in at the deep end.

I agree that I'd have Atkinson ahead of him for England, but I'd have Ojomoh ahead of anyone else for the 12 shirt. People saying that they'd have him in the squad for this 6N really isn't people selecting off one performance, he's got plenty of good performances behind him. Which doesn't mean that he's not got anything to work on, or has ironed out the inconsistency that largely comes from trying too hard when he gets his shot - he's still playing in an extremely competitive position for his club.
Unfortunately for SAtkinson, he plays for Gloucester, where he's that bit more hidden from the international selectors. Conversely, Ojomoh is club partner for England's other centre, which always helps when picking between 2 players.

This is not like the calls for Butt ahead of the AIs, where he had a single run of form that was above and beyond what he's ever shown likely before, whilst no-one was showing themselves as an alternative and we were all desperate for a change at 12 and looking for a flavour of the month.
This is Ojomoh showing what he's shown plenty of times before, whilst there's a viable alternative (Seb), and we are all desperate for a change at 12, but less interested in a flavour of the month.

Forgot about those games by Butt, has he not played at all since everyone else is back fit?

 

[BPM]

No Martin and maybe no Chessum (though think he's due back this week) - who are the locks?

Maro, Ewels with Coles on the bench?
Not gonna put the fear of God into many

Surely not? I'd have thought Itoje and Isiekwe it's Coles on the bench.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

No Martin and maybe no Chessum (though think he's due back this week) - who are the locks?

Maro, Ewels with Coles on the bench?
Not gonna put the fear of God into many

If the shoo in lock's from Saracens, and starting hooker's from Saracens, and the sub hooker's from Saracens, not to mention hopefully a back rower or 2….

Might not be fear of God stuff, but should be fairly well grooved.

 

[BPM]

Actually - this raises an interesting point. When relative lack of familiarity in combinations seem to be an issue, what would an England side built on more established units look like?

For example, I think this is a pretty good side (yes I know some of these are injured).

1. Obano
2. George
3. Stuart
4. Itoje
5. Isiekwe
6. Chessum
7. Earl
8. Willis
9. Mitchell
10. F. Smith
11. Freeman
12. Ojomoh
13. Lawrence
14. Sleightholme
15. Furbank

Obviously George doesn't play for Bath but he'd be throwing to 3, possibly 4 familiar jumpers.

I went for Chessum as the most realistic option and the closest in playing style to Theo McFarland.

The rest are club units. Maybe some merit in this approach?

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Why do we always have so many injuries!

Chessum, Martin, underhill, Furbank. Worrying already as we are really going to be lacking experience.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Why do we always have so many injuries!

Chessum, Martin, underhill, Furbank. Worrying already as we are really going to be lacking experience.

An American and three East Midlanders

Soft, Soft, Soft and Soft

 

[LIONSxv]

Why do we always have so many injuries!

Chessum, Martin, underhill, Furbank. Worrying already as we are really going to be lacking experience.

It's been the case since 2003. The last time we have a full strength side was the WC in Japan

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Forgot about those games by Butt, has he not played at all since everyone else is back fit?

He has played but on the wing.