England rugby squad LIVE: World Cup announcement reaction as Steve Borthwick leaves out Henry Slade
The 33-man squad was officially unveiled as England look to bounce back from a poor Six Nations campaign
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Your support makes all the difference.Experienced centre Henry Slade has been left out of England’s Rugby World Cup squad as the shock omission from Steve Borthwick’s 33-player selection named on Monday morning.
Slade had featured in 33 of England’s 37 internationals since the 2019 tournament and had hoped to feature at a third World Cup, but finds himself left out with Joe Marchant favoured at outside centre.
Rookie hooker Theo Dan, who earned his first cap against Wales, is an eye-catching inclusion in the front row, but there is no place for his fellow debutants in Cardiff, with both Tom Pearson and Tom Willis squeezed out of the back row.
With Alex Dombrandt, who has started every England Test this year, omitted alongside the younger Willis brother, it leaves Borthwick without specialist No 8 back-up for Billy Vunipola, who is still working his way back from a knee issue and is yet to feature under the England head coach. Versatile back-rowers Ben Earl and Lewis Ludlam are preferred, with Jack Willis, Tom Curry and vice-captain Courtney Lawes completing the back-row options in the squad.
Follow all the updates and reaction below:
Steve Borthwick reacts to naming Rugby World Cup squad
“Rugby World Cups involve unique challenges in terms of the demands on players, the need for squad flexibility and the limited number of squad places available,” said Borthwick.
“France 2023 is no different, but I am confident we have selected a squad of 33 that is well able to meet those challenges and leave us best placed to be at our most competitive in this exciting tournament.
“There have been a number of very difficult selection decisions to make, given the quality of our wider training squad. Some very good players have missed out on selection, such has been the competition for places over the last eight weeks and more of preparation.
“As Saturday’s game in Cardiff proved, we have a series of demanding Test matches through August as we continue that preparation towards our opening Rugby World Cup pool game against an in-form Argentina side.”
Origins of England’s Rugby World Cup squad
A nice video from the RFU saluting all those selected and listing the grassroots clubs they started playing rugby with. A lovely nod to the community game.
Henry Slade stunningly left out as England name 33-man Rugby World Cup squad
Experienced centre Henry Slade has been left out of England’s Rugby World Cup squad as the shock omission from Steve Borthwick’s 33-player selection.
Slade had featured in 33 of England’s 37 internationals since the 2019 tournament and had hoped to feature at a third World Cup, but finds himself left out with Joe Marchant favoured at outside centre.
Rookie hooker Theo Dan, who earned his first cap against Wales, is an eye-catching inclusion in the front row, but there is no place for his fellow debutants in Cardiff, with both Tom Pearson and Tom Willis squeezed out of the back row.
With Alex Dombrandt, who has started every England test this year, omitted alongside the younger Willis brother, it leaves Borthwick without specialist No 8 back-up for Billy Vunipola, who is still working his way back from a knee issue and is yet to feature under the England head coach.
Versatile back-rowers Ben Earl and Lewis Ludlam are preferred, with Jack Willis, Tom Curry and vice-captain Courtney Lawes completing the back row options in the squad.
Henry Slade stunningly left out as England name Rugby World Cup squad
Steve Borthwick has announced his squad for France as the Red Rose look to bounce back from a poor Six Nations campaign
England announce Rugby World Cup squad
Here’s the full squad - Borthwick has gone for 19-14 backs-to-forwards split for his 33-man group.
England’s official 2023 Rugby World Cup squad
Forwards (19)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)***
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)*
Theo Dan (Saracens, 1 cap)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 49 caps)*
Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)**
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)*
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)***
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 20 caps)*
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)**
George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
David Ribbans (Toulon, 6 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 3 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)*
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps) **
Jack Walker (Harlequins, 3 caps)
Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)
Backs (14)
Henry Arundell (Racing 92, 7 caps)
Danny Care (Harlequins, 88 caps)*
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)*
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 106 caps)**
George Ford (Sale Sharks, 82 caps)**
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 19 caps)
Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 16 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 22 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 51 caps)**
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 13 caps)
Anthony Watson (unattached, 55 caps)**
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)***
*denotes number of Rugby World Cup tournaments played
England reveal Rugby World Cup 2023 squad
And here is the official England squad for next month’s Rugby World Cup. As expected, Henry Slade is shockingly omitted with Joe Marchant selected among the centres instead.
Billy Vunipola is also the only specialist No 8 in the 33-man squad. Tom Willis misses out, so Lewis Ludlam and Ben Earl will provide the cover should something happen to Vunipola.
England Rugby World Cup squad
Only about five minutes until the England squad is officially announced with Henry Slade and Tom Willis set to miss out.
We’ll have official confirmation once it lands and Steve Borthwick will then explain his choices to the press at 11.15am
Adam Hastings one of four cut from Scotland pre-World Cup squad
Gloucester stand-off Adam Hastings is among four players to have been cut from Scotland’s pre-World Cup training squad as Gregor Townsend streamlines his pool ahead of the global showpiece in France.
The head coach named a 41-man provisional group three months ago and that has now been trimmed to 37, with Stafford McDowall, Cameron Henderson and Kyle Rowe - all of whom have one cap to their name - also part of the cull just five weeks before the tournament gets under way.
Hastings - with 27 caps - is the most established of the quartet to leave the group although he has been troubled by injury, allowing new Edinburgh stand-off Ben Healy to jump ahead of him in the pecking order for a place in the squad as Finn Russell’s understudy.
The Scotland squad flew to France on Sunday to stay at their World Cup base near Nice before they travel north to Saint-Etienne for their next warm-up match against France on Saturday.
Townsend must make further big decisions over the next week-and-a-half, with another four players set to be cut loose when he names his final 33-man squad on Wednesday, August 16.
The head coach has already lost Stuart Hogg from his initial squad after the veteran full-back announced his retirement last month, while he faces an anxious wait to learn the extent of Zander Fagerson’s suspension after the Glasgow prop was sent off in Saturday’s 25-21 win over the French at Murrayfield.
Further clouding the waters ahead of the final selection, scrum-half Ben White is having an ankle injury assessed after he limped off in clear discomfort on Saturday, while Jamie Ritchie has played no part in either of the two warm-up matches so far due to a calf issue. The captain is hoping to get some game time in France this weekend or at home to Georgia two weeks later.
Jack van Poortvliet on England World Cup spot and Danny Care lessons
“It’s something that obviously will probably be in the back of everyone’s minds, I think. If I’m lucky enough to be picked, it will be an absolute dream come true,” Van Poortvliet told Sky Sports.
“It’s been awesome. Obviously I was really lucky to have Wiggy [Richard Wigglesworth] and Lenny [Ben Youngs] to learn off at Leicester, and now to have Danny [Care] and Lenny to work off and learn off here, to push and compete with, it’s unbelievable.
“The big thing I’ve been picking up from with Danny is that scanning and being lively around the ruck and things like that. He’s obviously a brilliant livewire around the ruck, and we know how threatening he is in attack. So there’s some bits I’ve been trying to always be a sponge off him and learn from him.”
All Blacks name 33-man Rugby World Cup squad
Hookers (3): Dane Coles (Hurricanes), Samisoni Taukei’aho (Chiefs) Codie Taylor (Crusaders) Props (6): Ethan de Groot (Highlanders), Nepo Laulala (Blues), Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes), Fletcher Newell (Crusaders), Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Blues), Tamaiti Williams (Crusaders)
Locks (4): Scott Barrett (Crusaders), Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs) Sam Whitelock (Crusaders) Loose forwards (5): Sam Cane (Chiefs) (captain), Shannon Frizell (Highlanders), Luke Jacobson (Chiefs), Dalton Papalii (Blues), Ardie Savea (Hurricanes)
Halfbacks (3): Finlay Christie (Blues), Cam Roigard (Hurricanes), Aaron Smith (Highlanders) First fives (3): Beauden Barrett (Blues), Damian McKenzie (Chiefs), Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders)
Midfielders (4): Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes), David Havili (Crusaders), Rieko Ioane (Blues), Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs) Outside backs (5): Caleb Clarke (Blues), Leicester Fainga’anuku (Crusaders), Will Jordan (Crusaders), Emoni Narawa (Chiefs), Mark Telea (Blues)
Caelan Doris stars but Ireland left with injury concerns after Italy win
While England have plenty of concerns, the world’s best side and one of the big favourites for France have run into some trouble of their own.
Ireland will be anxious over a number of fitness doubts ahead of the big dance.
Jack Conan suffered an injury scare as Ireland launched their Rugby World Cup warm-up fixtures by easing to a 33-17 win over Italy in Dublin.
Back-rower Conan departed the field shortly before half-time and was later pictured in a protective boot on the bench.
Caelan Doris stars but Ireland left with injury concerns after Italy win
Ireland 33-17 Italy: Jack Conan, Jimmy O’Brien and Craig Casey were all withdrawn with injury issues during the victory in Dublin
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