"0/10" - England's five worst players from their World Cup warm-up matches have been named

This list specifically focuses on players who secured a spot in Steve Borthwick's ultimate 33-man roster for the upcoming 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Notably, the most unsettling aspect is that the top performer within this compilation only achieved a score of 2/10 for their contributions over the last month.

A virtuoso performance from Ben Youngs, making only his second Twickenham start, brought him the Investec Man of the Match award when England overpowered Australia 35-18 in November 2010.

Six years later, in the corresponding game, he won the Old Mutual Wealth Man of the Match award in England’s 37-21 victory. He appeared in every match in the 2013 Six Nations and went on to reach 40 caps against South Africa at Twickenham in November 2014 before his 50th came against Fiji. Ben went on to break Matt Dawson’s record for England Test starts at scrum half in the opening match of the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations against Italy in Rome.

He started the 2019 Rugby World Cup final against South Africa and currently holds the record for being the most-capped England Men’s international of all time, having surpassed Jason Leonard’s record of 114 caps in England’s fixture against Wales in the 2022 Six Nations. Recently, Youngs was named in a Rugby World Cup squad for the fourth time in his career when he was included in Steve Borthwick’s squad for the 2023 edition of the tournament in France.

They wrote: "No one can besmirch his legendary status as the England men’s most-capped player of all time, but it doesn’t look like he has it at this level anymore. Ireland had him in their pocket, with every contribution he made so very predictable and ineffective."

Henry Arundell was the Player of Match against Scotland on his U20 debut in February 2022, scoring a length-of-the-field try in the 41-24 victory in Edinburgh.

His first Premiership match in the London Irish starting team against Bristol Bears the following week was equally memorable, ultimately leading to a first call up for a senior England training squad after only six Premiership appearances. Included in England’s summer tour of Australia, Henry made his debut off the bench in the first international Test, scoring a remarkable solo try with his first touch of the ball. He went on to feature in the following Guinness Six Nations campaign, before being named in Steve Borthwick’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

They wrote: "A rookie who has struggled to live up to the incredible hype. His four-cap Six Nations, which included a forgettable first start, was repeated here in his sole appearance, a start against Wales in London that was also forgettable due to limited or no ball, a stupid yellow card that lost him 10 valuable minutes and getting the shepherd’s hook early. What was described as a “freak back spasm” has now curtailed his training heading to France."

Missing only one of England’s 41 Tests that preceded the 2013 summer reflects the impact that Dan Cole has made since his debut in the victory over Wales at Twickenham in February 2010.

He was a 2013 British & Irish Lion and played off the bench in all three Tests. He also figured in five matches for the 2017 Lions in New Zealand but did not appear in a Test match. Cole made his first Test start for England against Italy in 2010, started all five games in the 2011 Rugby World Cup and also in the 2012 and 2013 Six Nations.

He reached the 50-cap landmark in the 55-35 win over France in March 2015 and is England’s second most capped prop behind Jason Leonard (114). He featured in the 2019 squad for the Rugby World Cup and played in the final, and was recently named in Steve Borthwick’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

They wrote: "Was a throwback to an old-school tighthead who just does the grunt work and avoids the ball at all times. In the modern game, that type of limited role is just not good enough."

Walker started his playing career with Yorkshire Carnegie, becoming the youngest player to play for the club aged 17 years and 160 days old.

He joined Bath in the top flight of English rugby, earning 88 caps, before signing with Harlequins in 2021. His performances in the Gallagher Premiership earned him a call-up to Steve Borthwick’s squad for the 2023 Guinness Six Nations. He was recently included in Borthwick's squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

They wrote: "Spent the summer in injury rehab and only finally pitched up fit for a late, late cameo versus the Fijians. Has it all to do in France to show evidence why he has been included."

Vunipola climbed off the bench to make his England debut against Argentina on their 2013 summer tour and in his short time on the field bulldozed over for his maiden international try.

Born in Sydney and the son of former Tongan international Fe’ao, Billy and his brother Mako qualify for England through residency. Billy won his first eight Test caps consecutively before injury ruled him out of the Wales match at Twickenham in March 2014.

Appointed as one of three vice captains to Dylan Hartley in the new Jones era, Billy was pivotal to their historic Grand Slam win with man of the match displays against Scotland, Ireland and France. Injury struck to limit his involvement to just two games in the 2017 Six Nations as England made it consecutive Championships and then shoulder surgery denied him the chance to tour with the British & Irish Lions to New Zealand.

2018 was a similar story as injuries kept him on the sidelines but he returned in time to earn selection for England’s summer tour to South Africa. Billy was recently named in Steve Borthwick’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

They wrote: "Another who was overlooked for the Six Nations but is now seen as integral. He wrecked his preparation, though, with that red card in Dublin that will see him miss the start of the finals. Described by Borthwick as never looking as fit as he is now but he was leggy when he played, and his carry stats were not as high as they needed to be."