On the back of a demoralising fifth place in the men’s Six Nations, England’s next task is the new Nations Championship in July.
Long away trips to South Africa and Argentina, either side of a date with Fiji in Liverpool, raise the possibility of a huge squad to cater for all the matches.
Here are six players you can watch for their clubs in the Premiership this weekend who might force their way into England colours in the summer, plus one for the longer term:
Lucas Friday (scrum-half, Harlequins)
Picked up the nickname ‘The Truth’ from former team-mate Lennox Anyanwu, who is now at Montpellier, and it originated when Anyanwu witnessed the then 17-year-old Friday demonstrating scrum-half skills beyond his years.
“You can’t deny the truth and it always prevails,” Anyanwu told RugbyPass. Having endured nine months off with an ACL injury last year, Friday – the son of former Quins No.9 and England Sevens coach Mike – has impressed in tough fixtures away to Leinster and La Rochelle this season, and started all the England Under-20s’ recent Six Nations matches, with three wins and two losses.
The now 19-year-old Friday should be on your mind as he is spiky, and with a smooth pass partly honed in the back garden with his dad.
Kepu Tuipulotu (hooker, Bath)
Mention Tuipulotu’s name to Andy Robinson, and the Bath academy transition coach and former England flanker and coach goes all misty-eyed about the carrying and scrummaging of the 20-year-old who joined the club’s academy from Harrow School and has captained England’s under-20s.
Tuipulotu’s dad Sione played for Tonga and clubs in Wales; hence young Kepu’s birthplace of Pontypool and his big sister Sisilia representing Wales’s women.
The hooker position for England is racked with uncertainty with the long-serving Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie needing one or two of Tuipulotu, Theo Dan, Curtis Langdon, Jamie Blamire, Gabriel Oghre and Nathan Jibulu to really push them.
Emmanuel Iyogun (prop, Northampton Saints)
Kind of a slow burner, at 25, but mainly because we saw him very early as a prop, playing as injury cover in a Champions Cup quarter-final way back in 2020. Matt Ferguson, the then Northampton scrum coach, credited Iyogun with the “heart of a lion and the bum of a buffalo”.
Iyogun started every knockout match in Saints’ run to last season’s Champions Cup final, and both the England A matches in November, this convert from No.8 has the size at 6ft 3ins and 19st 2lbs, and the talent, to push the likes of Bevan Rodd in contesting the England No.1 jersey with Ellis Genge and Fin Baxter.
Arthur Clark (second row, Gloucester)
The 6ft 8ins lock trained with England during the Six Nations, and was name-checked by head coach Steve Borthwick earlier this month as having “huge potential”.
The hybrid role of Ollie Chessum and the injury worries of George Martin leaves a little room in the locking stocks alongside Maro Itoje and Alex Coles, and other possibles including Ben Bamber and Joe Batley.
Benhard Janse van Rensburg (centre, Bristol Bears)
This will curdle the cream in many an English person’s tea, but Borthwick is reckoned to be keen on the 29-year-old born in South Africa and marked out by a mighty mullet, and more importantly a rounded skillset that could enhance the unsettled England midfield.
When Bears’ boss Pat Lam extended Janse van Rensburg’s contract in November he describing him as “a coach’s dream… someone who sets the standard with his work ethic and performance every single day”.
The storyline needs defining, as Bristol reckon he qualifies for England in the summer, while other sources think it is the autumn. Benhard has got a huge neck on him – but is it a brass one for wanting to play for England? The rules say he can, so let’s see.
Billy Searle (fly-half, Leicester Tigers)
The England No.10 position… discuss. Fin Smith nailed on for the summer and next year’s World Cup. Guess so. George Ford? Yesterday’s man, in some pundits’ eyes. Owen Farrell? Much praised for his galvanising effect on squads, but in quiet form this season.
Marcus Smith: only ever cover for Borthwick, at best, it seems. So the 29-year-old Searle might just have a look-in, having started for England A in Ireland last month, and wowing the Premiership with his cool, heads-up playmaking. Eclectic club career at Launceston, Bristol, Wasps, Worcester and Toulouse, among others.
Hoskins Sotutu (back row, Blues)
Currently playing No.8 for the Auckland-based Blues in Super Rugby Pacific, and capped by New Zealand 14 times up to November 2022 – so what is he doing in this list? Sotutu qualifies for England through his mother and is joining Newcastle Red Bulls for next season, on a three-year contract.
“This is a huge signing which brings major firepower into the club,” Newcastle’s sporting general manager Neil McIlroy said of the 27-year-old son of a Fijian centre.
And England are reckoned to be keen on a power-sharing arrangement – if not in time for the summer, then for the completion of the Nations Championship in November.
