England World Cup squad standby list doesn't include Zach Mercer

England can still call upon their list of World Cup 2022 standby players during the tournament but will be hoping that such a situation does not arise.

All such injuries must be assessed by the World Rugby Medical Officer and a replacement can be called up from the list of standby players.

Obviously, prime candidates for the standby list will be the players still in camp before Steve Borthwick reduces his squad to 33 in two weeks time. Those players could include the likes of Danny Care and Jonny May.

Three players, who've already left the squad, have been instructed by Borthwick to keep themselves ready during the 2023 World Cup.

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A product of Sedbergh School and Sale Sharks’ academy, prop Bevan Rodd has been a regular at England age-grade rugby.

Despite being born in Scotland, he grew up on the Isle of Man and so was eligible to play for both England and Scotland. He has represented England at numerous levels including U16s, U18s and U20s. Glasgow-born Rodd made his debut for Sale in 2019 and had an immediate impact, becoming a regular starter for the Northern club at the age of 20.

Two years on from his professional debut against Northampton, he chose England as his International side and was called up by Eddie Jones for the summer Tests against USA and Canada. Rodd made his England debut in England’s 32-15 victory over the Wallabies in the 2021 autumn internationals. In 2023, he was included in Steve Borthwick’s 36-player squad for the Guinness Six Nations.

Leading the England U18 team to the FIRA/AER European Championship title in Poland in 2014 revealed the immense potential of Sam Underhill.

In nine appearances that year, he captained the side in three of the final five matches, twice against Wales and once against Ireland and they won every game.

Sam’s first appearance in a senior England shirt was when he started the non-cap match against the Barbarians at Twickenham in May 2017 and his impressive Test debut followed against Argentina at Sante Fe in June. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, played twice for Gloucester before crossing the Severn Bridge to play for Ospreys while studying at Cardiff University.

He switched to Bath on a three-year deal in 2017. Sam featured on the bench for the first three games of the 2018 Six Nations, and took part in the November internationals. He has become a regular under head coach Eddie Jones and was part of the squad that reached the 2019 Rugby World Cup final.

orthampton Saints scrum half Alex Mitchell has been capped all the way through the England pathway from Under 16 to Under 20 before he made his bow at Twickenham Stadium in June 2019 for an England XV against the Barbarians.

The former Sale Shark academy player joined Northampton Saints in 2015 and has continued his progression at the club.

The younger brother of former England Under 20 scrum half James Mitchell, Alex won Northampton's young player of the year award for the 2018/19 season after a series of impressive performances, and he scored 11 tries across the campaign.

In January 2020 he was named as an apprentice player for the Guinness Six Nations, and went on to make his Test debut in 2021, coming off the bench in during England’s Autumn International fixture against Tonga.

He scored on his debut, and England went on to win 69-3. In 2023, Mitchell was named in Steve Borthwick’s squad for the Guinness Six Nations.