Fans have only just realised why England Rugby wear a rose on their shirt

In order to uncover the answer, we must delve into the past to 1871. This was the year when the first international game between Scotland and England was played, and it also marked the debut of the now-famous red rose.

Some people are curious as to why England Rugby didn't choose the three lions, like other national sports teams.

Although it has undergone several design changes over the years, its distinctiveness has always remained intact. From 1920, the design was standardized, and this remained the case until 1998, when it was updated to its current form.

While there's no definite explanation for the RFU using the flower, one possibility is that the rose was perceived as being more closely associated with the English monarchy, as opposed to the three lions.

The rose was first adopted as an English emblem during the War of the Roses in the 15th century.

The war was between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and the royal house of York (whose emblem was a white rose).

The war ended in 1485 when Elizabeth of York (The white rose) married Henry VII (the red rose), and the two combined to create the Tudor Rose.

Another possible reason behind the rugby teams decision to use a red rose rises from the fact that the official colour for Rugby School is red. 

This is where the game of rugby is said to have originated, and the school are very proud of this fact. Elizabeth I, who as above used a red rose as her emblem, presented the school’s founder, Lawrence Shefford, with a coat of arms in which the red rose featured prominently. 

DID YOU KNOW? According to English superstition, if the petals fall from a fresh-cut red rose, bad luck will soon follow

The form of Maro Itoje, Marcus Smith, and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso stood out, but below we look at the most disappointing players according to The Telegraph, highlighting some sub-par performances.

Saracens hooker Theo Dan is capped at England U18 and U20 level. He graduated into the north London club’s senior academy in 2019 and made his Premiership debut against Gloucester in 2022.

Since then, he has been a regular feature in Saracens teams throughout their domestic and European campaigns and was a member of the team that won the Gallagher Premiership title at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Dan was called up to Steve Borthwick’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and featured heavily in the squad that went on to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. 

They wrote: "Needs to learn a better tackle technique after suffering a head injury in the second Test."

It has been a steady rise through the England age groups for Birmingham-born Bath Rugby centre Ollie Lawrence.

Having played for England at U18 and U20 levels, he was first called up to the senior squad in 2018 ahead of the summer tour to South Africa. A line-breaking midfielder, Lawrence was called up again by Eddie Jones ahead of the autumn games in 2020.

Recently, Lawrence played a key role in England’s Rugby World Cup campaign in France before retaining his position in the squad for the Guinness Men’s Six Nations 2024. 

They wrote: "We are not angry, just disappointed. After such a strong end to the Six Nations, Lawrence could not reprise that ball-carrying form against the All Blacks."

Longham-born Freddie Steward started playing at the age of six for local rugby club Swaffham RFC and then for Holt RFC.

He made his Leicester Tigers academy debut at the Wellington Festival in 2017, before his first-team debut against Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens in January 2019. The full back also made his England U18s debut against France in March 2019. Steward made his Senior Men’s debut against the USA at Twickenham in 2021 and has since been a regular feature of the international squad.

In May 2022 he won the RPA players’ young player of the year and England Men’s player of the season awards. Steward featured in England’s 2022 summer tour of Australia and Autumn Nations Series campaign, as well as the 2023 Guinness Six Nations and Rugby World Cup. 

They wrote: "Looked off the pace which may be a result of a crunching De Groot tackle or lack of game minutes. He had not played a game since May 19 before the second Test."

Curry became the youngest player to start an international for England in 90 years when he made his senior debut five days before his 19th birthday in Argentina on the 2017 summer tour.

Tom and Ben both studied at Oundle School – where the master in charge of rugby was their uncle and former England international John Olver. The Sale Sharks flanker had a breakthrough season in 2016/17 and made his Twickenham bow in an uncapped game against the Barbarians in May 2017, after twin brother Ben had withdrawn because of a back spasm.

The following month Tom appeared in the first Test against Argentina in San Juan - only Jonny Wilkinson has been a younger Test debutant for England. He started every game of the 2019 Six Nations, scoring tries against Wales and Scotland and was part of the England squad that reached the 2019 Rugby World Cup final. His performances across that year saw him nominated for the World Rugby player of the year.

They wrote: "Part of a really disappointing England replacement crew who failed to make an impact in the All Blacks series."

Educated at Farleigh School in Andover and Radley College, Oxfordshire, London-born Will Stuart began playing the game at the age of eight at school and at Salisbury RFC.

Stuart has represented England at age grade level, featuring in the side that defeated Ireland in the final of the 2016 World Rugby U20 Championship. He earned a first call up to the senior side in 2020 and made his debut as a replacement for Kyle Sinckler in the opening round of the Six Nations. His first start came in November the same year, in England’s Autumn Nations Cup fixture against Georgia. 

They wrote: "Ethan De Groot’s angles may have been suspect but ultimately he ended up face down a lot of the time in New Zealand. With 40 caps, he is hardly a rookie learning his trade at the coal face."