The Autumn internationals are right around the corner, and Steve Borthwick will certainly be looking closely at the Premiership as he nears his squad selection.
England are in a fairly difficult spot heading into this block of Tests, following the exits of respected coaches Aled Walters and Felix Jones, and there are also some key injuries within the squad. Henry Slade, Alex Dombrandt and Joe Marler are all in a race against time to be fit for November, George Ford could also miss the Tests following an injury picked up this weekend and squad hopeful Will Muir also sustained a knock.
There are also several spots open in the England team too following the summer tour to Japan and New Zealand, and with the new enhanced EPS contracts aimed at strengthening the squad ahead of the 2027 World Cup, Borthwick could opt to bring in some bolters this November.
But which of the impressive youngsters have caught the eye the most in the early exchanges of the Premiership season? Well, with that in mind, here are some possible left-field inclusions who could be in line for a call-up this Autumn.
Afolabi Fasogbon
The Gloucester prop has certainly caught the eye in the opening rounds of the Premiership – notably waving Ellis Genge off the pitch in his side’s 44-41 win over Bristol – and his form could see him drafted into the England senior squad.
Tighthead is a problem area for England right now, with Dan Cole now heading into the twilight of his career and the likes of Joe Heyes and Will Stuart still not quite showing their full potential on the Test stage, and the 6′ 3, 128kg 20-year-old could be the player to step into the void. He’s proved he can scrummage against Test-level looseheads too, after decent showings against Genge and Rhys Carre, and also shone for the U20s in the World Cup triumph.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour
If not now, when? Asher Opoku-Fordjour is an exceptional talent, and he is potentially the in-form tighthead (not loosehead) in the Premiership right now. The bullish Sale Sharks prop has shone in the scrum against Fin Baxter and gave Rhys Carre a good go last weekend too; and has also earned high praise from the likes of Joe Marler as well.
His aggressive nature developed at loosehead weirdly makes him a better tighthead, as he has a different approach to the set and will look to target his opponents as a loosehead will. In a similar way to Fasogbon, bringing him into camp now, and possibly chucking him in at the deep end in a Test, will be such a beneficial experience for him.
Freddie Thomas
An even-more left-field choice here, but Gloucester lock Freddie Thomas has hit the ground running in the early stages of the Premiership campaign. He isn’t the biggest second-row by any means, but he gets through just as much work and is always keen to take on a carry. He also has a keen eye for a gap, and can create a decent line-break from nothing. Thomas also has two tries to his name to date, which is another tick in his box.
Guy Pepper
The back-row is an ultra-competitive area for England, and Borthwick is blessed with options right across the three positions, but new Bath recruit Guy Pepper has been in sensational form this season and is demanding a call-up in November. Pepper was Bath’s biggest summer arrival following his switch from Newcastle, but he has looked right at home in Surf the Web/Caviar (the official shirt colours. No, I’m not lying.) since joining the club and could be a great option for November. He faces stern competition from within his own club – with Ted Hill also looking in fantastic touch this season – but Pepper is another young gun who would benefit greatly from the experience and seems ready-made for Test level.
Will Butt
There is a gap in the England midfield right now with Slade likely to miss out on selection through injury, and Will Butt could be just the man to fill this void. Butt has looked incredibly impressive in the opening two rounds of the Premiership, with his direct, powerful carrying adding a lovely new dynamic to Bath’s attack, but importantly – especially for England – he compliments the work of Ollie Lawrence really nicely and the pair seem to have a decent connection already. Lawrence is also likely to occupy one of the centre spots, but bringing Butt into the fold would push the former Worcester man into his more natural position of 13, and then give England a genuine hit-up option at 12. He’s hit form at the perfect time, and it could see him whisked straight into the Test team.
Tobias Elliott
Another position Borthwick is blessed with troops is on the wing, with the likes of Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Sleightholme and Tom Roebuck all featuring this summer; but there’s no denying Tobias Elliott is an outstanding talent. The 21-year-old shone at the U20s level, grabbing five tries in just seven appearances, and he’s continued this form over to the Premiership now too with two tries in the opening two games this season. Again, this would likely be a development call, but there’s no harm in bringing in a 6’1, 93kg winger to a Test squad.
Fergus Burke
Cap him now, before someone else does. New Saracens recruit Fergus Burke came to the Premiership as a fairly unknown entity, but he has been fantastic since arriving in North London and certainly looks capable of making the step to Test rugby. He qualifies for England, Scotland and New Zealand, and there are growing reports he is attracting the interest of Gregor Townsend ahead of the Autumn, so Borthwick should move quickly if he wants to get him. Burke is a genuine running fly-half and poses such a threat at the line, which in turn injects so much pace into an attack – which is what England want at the moment.
Tom de Glanville
Could now be his time to follow in his father’s footsteps? Bath ace, Tom de Glanville, is another Bath back who has hit the ground running in the early rounds of the Premiership, and it could see him drafted into Borthwick’s squad. De Glanville is a really silky player, and fits the mould Borthwick now wants from his fullbacks of being that extra link in the back-field. On top of this, he is also very solid in the air and can create attacks from nowhere. He is also an option on the wing, which is just another plus for him. De Glanville has improved year on year since becoming a regular feature in the Bath side, and he could now warrant that phone call.