5 'English Born' Players Representing Different Countries at the 2023 Rugby World Cup

The 2023 Rugby World Cup is a one of a kind competition. Every four years, the greatest international sides from across the globe come together, to battle it out to lift the prestigious Web Ellis Trophy.

Through ancestorial heritage, these five rugby stars were born or lived in England from a young age, yet will be representing different nations at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Hamish Watson was born in Manchester in 1991, and grew up England until his first senior rugby contract took him North of the border. Despite his ties to England, the back-rower has always been eligible for Scotland through his Grandfather. At age group level, Watson was a force to be reckoned with throughout the Premiership's developmental leagues, as he joined up with the Leicester Tigers Academy after being scouted from Oakham School in Rutland, East Midlands.

In 2011, Watson made the move to Scotland as he signed a contract with Edinburgh. The flanker has not looked back since, and has remained in the Scottish capital for his entire career.

The 31-year-old has just finished his 13th season with the club, with a 12th placed finish seeing his side miss out on any play-off hopes.

Watson soon garnered international recognition upon moving to Scotland, as within the same year of signing with Edinburgh, he made the Scotland U20s set-up.

He progressed into the Scottish national team, and made his first team debut against Italy in the 2015 Guinness Six Nations. The back-rower will hope for a better Rugby World Cup than in 2019, as he suffered a tournament-ending injury in the opening fixture against Ireland.

Inspired performances throughout following Six Nations Championships established Watson as a mainstay in the Scotland squad. His 2021 Player of the Championship accolade rightfully bolstered Watson's reputation, and took him to South Africa for the 2021 British and Irish Lions Tour.

Watson will be eyeing up the 2023 Rugby World Cup with serious intent, to get over the injury nightmare of 2019, and send Scotland's talisman Stuart Hogg out on a retirement high.

The Azzurri's enigmatic back-rower qualifies to play for Italy through his Grandparents. Polledri was born and raised around Bristol, and won the 2009 National School 7s Tournament with The Downs Preparatory School.

Polledri then progressed through to Colston's School and Filton College, which took him to make his debut for Bristol Rugby in the Aviva Premiership Rugby A League.

Before Bristol had entered their Bears era, and clawed their way into becoming Gallagher Premiership mainstays, Polledri gained valuable experience within the developmental side. The flanker then made the change to West Country rivals Hartpury RFC, and was an integral part in their 2016/17 promotional season into the RFU Championship. Polledri soon caught the attention of Gloucester Rugby, and won the Young Player of the Season Award for the 2017/18 Premiership Season.

Polledri wasted no time in achieving his international recognition, as he represented Italy U20s at the 2014 IRB Junior Championships. Unlike Italian and English dual qualified star Paolo Odogwu, Polledri never entertained the idea of 'wearing the rose', and jumped head first into representing Italy. He has been apart of the young and dynamic Italian side since 2018, and made his debut in the narrow 29-27 loss to Scotland in that year's Guinness Six Nations.

Polledri had an exceptional 2019 Rugby World Cup, and set a new record for defenders beaten by a forward in a competition. Polledri beat 27 defenders in just three pool stage matches, and made World Rugby's 'Team of the Pool Stages' for the competition.

The 27-year-old will be heading to Italy after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, as he has agreed a move to join Zebre Parma, ahead of the 2023/24 United Rugby Championship season.

Sam's father Sereli Matavesi moved to Cornwall from Fiji in the 1980s, and brought up his family across Truro and Camborne. Like his father, Sam Matavesi represented his home county of Cornwall throughout, before he joined up with the Royal Navy at RNAS Culdrose, on the Lizard Point.

During his time in the services, Matavesi enjoyed three seasons with Plymouth Albion in Devon, and later returned to Cornwall to signed a senior contract with the Cornish Pirates. Matavesi has since gone on to shine on rugby’s brightest stages, achieving his professional rugby break with a short-term loan to Toulouse in 2019. This led to the versatile forward winning the 2019 Top 14 title, and earning himself a spot in the Fiji squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

This top-tier exposure led to Matavesi being promptly picked up by Northampton Saints, where he has become a predominant feature at hooker. The 31-year-old has now enjoyed four seasons at Franklin’s Gardens, having made 63 appearances and scoring nine tries. Matavesi returns to the Navy each year for the inter-services competition, and has on four occasions battled against the Army for the Babcock Trophy at Twickenham Stadium.

Despite playing hooker for Saints, Matavesi is the first choice number eight for the Royal Navy, and was named UK Armed Forces Sportsman of the Year award in 2020. Matavesi will head back to Twickenham this Saturday for his fifth encounter against the British Army. Matavesi will then look to represent Fiji in the 2023 Rugby World Cup this coming September, with hopes of an upcoming return to France on the horizon.

4. Ali Price - Scotland

Scotland scrum half Ali Price was born in the Norfolk port town of King's Lynn, and grew up attending Wisbech Grammar School in Cambridgeshire. Price qualifies for Scotland threw his Mother, who's extended family stretches across Troon, South Ayrshire.

Upon completing his studies, a fresh-faced Price made the venture up North, and joined up with Stirling County. The 29-year-old's career soon progressed to a contract with Ayr, in the Scottish Premiership. Glasgow Warriors soon came looking for the talented prospect, and signed Ali to a development contract in 2013. It was a long road to a Warriors debut for Price, as he was sent back to England with brief loan spells at Bedford Blues and Saracens, to gain valuable game time and exposure.

The Glasgow Warriors debut finally arrived in 2015, which ignited Price's career and fast-tracked him into the Scottish national team. After a rapid start to his Scotland career, Price was injured in eerily similar circumstances to that of his England-born teammate Hamish Watson. Price suffered a foot injury in the 2019 Rugby World Cup opener against Ireland, ending his inaugural World Cup campaign before it have even really begun.

Like Watson, Price wasted no time in feeling sorry for himself, and when fully fit continued to establish himself in the Scotland starting XV. This took the 29-year-old on the 2021 British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa, where he scored a try on his first Lions start, against the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg. Price will be looking to make up for lost time in this year's Rugby World Cup, and take the fight back to Ireland and South Africa, as they re-unite in Pool B.

5. Kieran Treadwell - Ireland

Born in Sutton, South London, Kieran Treadwell qualifies for Ireland through his Irish mother. The towering lock attended the John Fisher School in Surrey, before setting his sights on the Emerald Isle. Treadwell first ran out in the green of Ireland at Under 18s level, yet made the swap to England for his U20s season. Treadwell was apart of the England U20s side who won the 2015 U20s Six Nations, with his impressive performances landing him a contract with Harlequins.

Treadwell was unable to make a significant dent on the Harlequins senior team, and was leant out on loan to London Scottish in the RFU Championship. The second-rower jumped at the opportunity to pursue a career in Belfast, and agreed a move to Ulster for the 2016/17 Guinness Pro12 Season. Treadwell has since called Northern Ireland home, and made an immediate impact at Kingspan Stadium.

Treadwell capitalised on the exit of lock Dan Tuohy to Bristol, and the injury absence of Alan O'Connor and Peter Browne, for consistent game time upon his arrival. After 21 starts in his opening season, Ireland Head Coach Joe Schmidt named Treadwell in the 2017 Summer Tour of Japan. Upon returning to Ulster, Treadwell established a rock-solid second row partnership with Ireland international Iain Henderson, and pressed on for his first Ireland try in the 2022 Guinness Six Nations.

Treadwell favoured Andy Farrell's rotational approach, for Ireland's match against Italy in the 2022 Six Nations. He scored his one and only first team try for his country in this match, as Ireland cruised to a 57-6 win. Treadwell will hope to break further into Andy Farrell's plans, for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. His role may be sporadic for the upcoming competition, yet injuries could once again give Treadwell an increased role, as the competition progresses to the latter stages.