England star stood down after injury blow with surgery now required
Rugby NewsWednesday, 22 July 2026 at 17:19
Noah Caluori has revealed he has been playing through an injury for the past eight months and has now undergone surgery to fix the problem.
The teenage winger enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, making his PREM Rugby debut for Saracens in Round 1 before going on to score 25 tries in 29 appearances across all competitions.
His impressive season earned him a first England cap against Fiji at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Introduced from the bench, he marked the occasion with a try after diving over in the corner.
The 19-year-old then made his second England appearance against Argentina, coming off the bench in the closing stages to help secure the victory. He was fortunate to avoid a high tackle penalty during the build-up to a disallowed Los Pumas try in the final moments.
Caluori has quickly established himself as one of rugby's brightest young prospects, with his pace, athleticism and dominance in the air making him a standout talent.
He was suffering with a wrist ligament injury, with Caluori sharing a photo on Instagram after his operation, revealing he had been carrying the issue for eight months.
Following the surgery, he is expected to miss the start of next season.
Given the remarkable season he has just produced while playing through injury, there is every chance supporters have yet to see the very best of the Saracens and England winger.
That is an exciting prospect for club and country, even if it is a worrying one for defenders.
QUIZ: Can you name the England XV that started the 2019 World Cup final?
Editors Picks:
- Sir Graham Henry names the greatest rugby player of all-time
- Grading every England player from the Nations Championship
- Nigel Owens makes his feelings clear on TMO interventions
- Another Georgia international has been handed a huge ban…
- Five players who flopped during the Nations Championship
Join RUCK’s Instagram broadcast channel and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.
Grading every England player from the Nations Championship
England's Nations Championship campaign produced plenty of positives despite opening with defeat to South Africa.
Victories over Fiji and Argentina gave Steve Borthwick's side valuable momentum, while a number of players strengthened their claims ahead of the autumn.
From the standout performers to those who struggled to make an impact, here is how every England player who featured across the tournament graded.
Fin Smith (A+)
England's standout player of the summer. The fly-half controlled every Test with maturity, dictated the tempo superbly and cemented himself as Steve Borthwick's first-choice number 10.
After so much debate and constant rotation in the position over the past year, England finally benefited from sticking with one playmaker.
Smith looked confident throughout, was one of the few players willing to challenge South Africa head on and has emerged as one of the cornerstones of this England side.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (A+)
Finished the tour in sensational fashion with a destructive performance against Argentina. Powerful in contact and clinical whenever an opportunity came his way, he was England's most dangerous back throughout the series.
Chances were limited against South Africa and Fiji, yet he still made almost every touch count. His fitness has been questioned in the past, but he remained available all tour and has now established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Ben Earl (A)
England's best forward across the four matches. His relentless carrying, huge work-rate and two-try display against Argentina summed up another outstanding campaign.
Earl constantly looked to get England over the gainline while also providing the grit and energy that defines the very best back-row forwards. He continues to set the standard with both his effort and consistency.
Marcus Smith (A)
Again proved his value through his versatility, featuring across the backline while scoring against both Fiji and Argentina. His appearances at scrum-half also showed he could offer England another tactical option from the bench.
Even so, it still feels as though he is being squeezed into the side rather than trusted in his preferred position. Despite that, he enjoyed another strong series.
Ellis Genge (A)
The senior prop led by example from start to finish. He anchored the scrum, carried with purpose and was one of England's most physical players throughout the tour.
Genge consistently involved himself around the field and once again showed why he is one of the squad's most influential leaders.
Joe Heyes (A)
Responded brilliantly after a difficult opening Test. His scrummaging improved dramatically against Fiji before another industrious display in Argentina.
Around the field he contributed tirelessly in both attack and defence, producing arguably the strongest spell of Test rugby of his career.
George Martin (A)
Made an immediate impact after returning from a lengthy injury lay-off. His physical presence stood out against both South Africa and Argentina, even if Fiji was a quieter outing.
Martin's power gives England something few other locks can offer and his return creates a welcome selection headache once Maro Itoje is back.
Jack van Poortvliet (A-)
Improved as the tour progressed. His service became quicker, his decision-making sharper and he looked increasingly comfortable controlling matches.
After an inconsistent kicking display against South Africa, England moved away from relying on his box kicking, allowing his passing and game management to shine. While kicking remains an area to improve, he strengthened his case to challenge Alex Mitchell for the starting shirt.
Noah Caluori (B+)
Didn't feature much, but scored on his debut against Fiji in a short cameo. Only briefly came off the bench against Argentina and was lucky to avoid a yellow card and penalty try for a high tackle in the build-up to Los Pumas' late disallowed try.
Henry Slade (B+)
Recovered well after a slow start to the tour. His experience became increasingly valuable, particularly in Argentina where a superb try-saving tackle highlighted his defensive quality.
Slade also developed an encouraging partnership with Seb Atkinson, offering composure, organisation and excellent distribution. Despite questions over his long-term future, he reminded everyone of his class.
Seb Atkinson (B)
Settled into international rugby after an uncertain beginning. Confidence grew with every appearance and he complemented Henry Slade well in midfield.
His balance of carrying, defensive work and distribution gave England a more complete option at inside centre than they have had in recent months.
Alex Coles (B)
A relatively quiet outing against Fiji was followed by an excellent defensive display against Argentina. Coles showed plenty of work-rate, impressed with his physicality and handled the basics exceptionally well.
Although he did not display the attacking freedom often seen at Northampton Saints, he proved he can deliver exactly what England need in the second row.
Guy Pepper (B)
Recovered strongly from a difficult Test debut to finish the tour well. His tackling improved, his work-rate never dipped and he brought plenty of energy whenever selected. While he did not produce many standout moments, Pepper already looks capable of becoming a regular member of England's back row.
Ollie Chessum (B-)
Perhaps judged against the high standards he has already set for himself. While not as influential as usual, he still delivered two dependable performances after the opening defeat and remained a key figure in the pack.
Constantly switching between lock and blindside flanker has hardly helped him settle into one role, but he still enjoyed a solid tour overall.
Jamie George (C+)
Led the side well and remained dependable at the set piece. His lineout throwing was accurate and his defensive work never wavered, but he struggled to produce the big moments expected from a player of his experience. A reliable rather than spectacular series.
Tommy Freeman (C+)
Ended the tour on a much stronger note after an underwhelming start. His early try against Argentina rewarded another energetic display on the wing.
Much of his disappointing opening came while filling in at outside centre against South Africa, a move that never really suited him. Back in his natural position he looked far more comfortable, although still below the standards he produced for Northampton Saints.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (C)
Made a promising start to Test rugby before concussion cut his tour short. Limited opportunities made him difficult to judge fully, but he handled the step up well and showed encouraging signs for the future.
Henry Pollock (C)
A summer that perfectly captured both his enormous potential and his inexperience. His hat-trick against Fiji showcased the talent that has generated so much excitement, but disciplinary issues in Argentina took some of the shine off the tour.
He arguably deserved more starts after spending much of the series on the bench. There is still plenty to improve, but England have every reason to remain excited about his future.
George Kloska (C)
Made two composed appearances from the bench. He worked hard, completed the basics effectively and never looked overawed by the level. While he did not produce any headline moments, he adapted well to Test rugby.
Luke Cowan-Dickie (C-)
Made a positive impact from the bench, particularly against Fiji, but never did enough to force his way into England's strongest side. Questions remain over England's long-term planning at hooker, with younger options still waiting for opportunities.
Cowan-Dickie remains dependable, but his performances were solid rather than memorable.
Emmanuel Iyogun (C-)
Only featured in the final Test, making his England debut. A yellow card almost proved costly, although he simply did not play enough rugby to receive a harsher assessment.
Tom Curry (C-)
Injuries and limited minutes prevented him from influencing the series in the way England have come to expect. He remained committed whenever he played, but looked short of his usual intensity after a physically demanding season.
Given the knocks he has carried, a period of rest may ultimately have served both him and England better.
TRENDING
LATEST NEWS
LATEST COMMENTS
Loading