"Argentina bound" - 5 England hopefuls who Impressed in the final weekend of the Premiership

However, the season does not end there for the England hopefuls, with Steve Borthwick set to lead his side out to Argentina and the United States for a three-match tour this Summer. With 12 of his top guns away on British & Irish Lions duties, the door has swung wide open for uncapped and fringe players to make their mark in the famous red rose. This past weekend saw five more hopefuls put their hands up for selection, ahead of the cross-continental trip across the Americas.

A star of an Exeter Chiefs side that has struggled this season, Josh Hodge has constantly given the Sandy Park faithful something to celebrate even upon a defeat in Devon. The versatile outside back has taken the lead at both fullback and wing this season, yet his priority outings have come in the 15 shirt for Rob Baxter's men. Hodge has put together an impressive strike rate of 15 tries in all competitions, with his presence rightfully earned upon the England selector's radar.

The door opens up for Hodge following a couple of absentees, beginning with Marcus Smith's selection for the Lions tour. Then throw in George Furbank's turbulent season, as the Northampton man has battled back from a broken arm which greatly curtailed his momentum, and Hodge rises up the pecking order for a potential England debut.

The flyer missed out on the initial 33-man squad that met for a mini training camp earlier this month, yet another statement making performance has put him back in the conversation for the tour of Argentina and the United States. Hodge's latest effort for Exeter saw him grab a try in the hard-fought defeat to Sale Sharks, and strike home three conversions off the tee. A dangerous multi-tool player with speed, agility and sharpshooting on his side, Hodge could well reinforce the ranks for Borthwick's squad this Summer.

Steve Borthwick will have to act swiftly, if he is to secure this dual-nationality star for representing Tonga upon the Test match stage. The Sale man is garnering quite the reputation across the Premiership, with the 22-year-old already drawing comparisons to Manu Tuilagi, given his Pacific Island heritage and crash-ball performances with the Sharks' midfield.

Ma'asi-White was included in the brief two-day training squad earlier in the Spring, which confirmed how he was embossed upon the radar of Steve Borthwick ahead of the Summer plans. It has been a rapid rise to the international discussion for the centre, who just earlier this season was cutting his Shark teeth out on load to Caldy in the Championship. With Elliot Daly called up for the Lions tour and Ollie Lawrence still out on the injury wards following his heart-breaking Achilles tear, this could be the time for Ma'asi-White.

The midfielder put in another strong performance this past weekend, as Sale carved through Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park. Ma'asi-White scored his fifth try in Sale colours, as his tally continues to rise, as he capped off a well-taken strike move against the Devon club. With plentiful buzz around Ma'asi-White ahead of the play-offs, Borthwick would be intrigued to see how the wrecking-ball centre fares, in the high stakes matches so early in his club career.

As Northampton Saints arrived in the West Country for their final match of the Premiership season, all eyes were focussed upon England wing Ollie Sleightholme, never mind his opposite man who went on the steal the show. A favourite son in green, black and gold, Sleightholme made his return from injury in the Champions Cup Final, with the England tour of Argentina expected to be in the young wing's future.

The same could now well be said for Jack Cotgreave, who was in blistering form along the Kingsholm touchline this past Saturday. The 19-year-old scored his first Premiership hat-trick, as the Cherry and Whites turned the pressure up on the Saints with the young-gun at the heart of the action. A trio of tries takes Cotgreave's tally for the season up to six, in what has been a solid first year in the famous Cherry and White of Gloucester. The Summer tour has long been a proving ground for young talents, and Borthwick could test the bolter in the deep waters of a Test match against Los Pumas or the USA.

With an assortment of Gloucester's household names departing the club at the end of the season, it's players like Cotgreave that have the Kingsholm faithful excited for the future. Upon a Super Saturday that featured stand out efforts from England fringe wingers Cadan Murley and Gabriel Ibitoye for their respective Harlequins and Bristol Bears, it was Cotgreave that took the headlines ahead of a possible fast-tracked trip to the international rugby stage.

Next up is a man who's name has been ringing out from Bristol, in the hopes that his efforts are recognised by Steve Borthwick before too long. George Kloska is a prop that remains upon the England radar, as his recent England A cap against Ireland earned him experience with the red rose upon his chest. The 25-year-old is a formidable presence around the park, with the unique ability of combing a hulking frame, subtle hands and a fleet-footed first step over the gain-line.

Gloska made his debut for the Bears all the way back in the 2019/20 season, with the prop on the books at Ashton Gate for the past five seasons. Loan spells throughout the 2022/23 season to Bedford Blues and Hartpury University, proved pivotal in the front rower's progression. Kloska returned from the Championship with a vast amount of experience which he's carried into a consistent run within Pat Lam's senior Bristol side ever since.

The winds of change are blowing throughout England's tight-head pecking order, as Dan Cole has confirmed his retirement plans for the end of the season. Will Stuart will also be away from the England camp as he heads to Australia with the Lions, which opens up plenty of avenues for Kloska to explore, alongside the other emerging England props, Gloucester's Afolabi Fasogbon and Sale's dual-headed Asher Opoku-Fordjour.

This past weekend, Kloska took England prop Fin Baxter to his limit at scrum-time, and sent the Harlequin on the back foot upon a few occasions. Kloska's stellar performance was set from a try in the first minute, that set the tone for a solid afternoon around the park and in close quarters.

What a tremendous run of form Fitz Harding's been on this season, with the 26-year-old yet again banging on the door of the England camp to the point of becoming unignorable. The back row has the versatile quality which Borthwick often praises about his forward pack, with Harding more than capable of running out on the openside flank and from his usual eight jersey.

The back row has been dynamic for Bristol, and ran out 12 carries and 12 tackles in his latest storming effort, in the one-sided win over Harlequins. Harding missed out on the short-list for the mini England training camp, yet he has not let that hinder his chances for earning a spot upon the plane for Argentina. England have contributed two of their leading loose forwards to the British & Irish Lions, with the likes of Ben Earl and Tom Curry bound for Australia.

There will be a serious power struggle in their absence, as Tom Willis has emerged as the leading man to the vacant eight jersey. Chandler Cunningham-South waits upon the injury wings for a hot return to the pitch, with Harding out to put his best foot forward in the Premiership play offs to prove his worth to the England selectors. There is still plenty of competition for Harding, as he comes up against two would-be rivals in Miles Reid and Alfie Barbeary this Friday, as Bristol head to Bath for the semi-final at the Rec.