Steve Borthwick names 36-man England squad for France – includes ‘next Richie McCaw’
Rugby NewsMonday, 16 June 2025 at 13:19
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England boss Steve Borthwick has revealed a 36-man training squad ahead of this weekend’s showdown between England XV and France XV – with Bath Rugby and Leicester Tigers players heavily involved fresh off their Premiership Final appearances.
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? No Lions included – those named in the British & Irish Lions squad have been left out.
?️ Borthwick will announce the official summer tour squad for the Tests against Argentina and USA on Monday 23 June.
One player in the squad is Bath flanker Guy Pepper.
The Bath flanker, hailed by some as a “young Richie McCaw”, was man of the match in Saturday’s dramatic 23-21 Premiership Final win over Leicester Tigers – Bath’s first title in 29 years.
With his ash-brown mop, relentless engine, and a knack for dominating the breakdown, Pepper was everywhere. He delivered crucial turnovers, thunderous tackles, and nearly bagged a worldie of a try – only for it to be controversially chalked off. Still, he was the heartbeat of Bath, and now, he's earned his shot in Borthwick’s England squad.
? FORWARDS
- Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
- Arthur Clark (Gloucester)
- Alex Coles (Northampton)
- Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
- Theo Dan (Saracens)
- Trevor Davison (Northampton)
- Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
- Charlie Ewels (Bath)
- Jamie George (Saracens)*
- Joe Heyes (Leicester)
- Ted Hill (Bath)
- Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
- Manny Iyogun (Northampton)
- Jack Kenningham (Harlequins)
- Curtis Langdon (Northampton)
- Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale)*
- Guy Pepper (Bath)
- Bevan Rodd (Sale)
- Sam Underhill (Bath)
- Tom Willis (Saracens)
⚡ BACKS
- Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester)
- Seb Atkinson (Gloucester)
- Oscar Beard (Harlequins)
- Joe Carpenter (Sale)
- Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter)
- George Ford (Sale)
- Will Muir (Bath)
- Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
- Luke Northmore (Harlequins)
- Max Ojomoh (Bath)
- Raffi Quirke (Sale)
- Tom Roebuck (Sale)
- Henry Slade (Exeter)
- Ben Spencer (Bath)
- Freddie Steward (Leicester)
- Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester)
? In rehab:
- Ben Curry (Sale)
- Fraser Dingwall (Northampton)
- George Furbank (Northampton)
- Harry Randall (Bristol)
❌ Unavailable for selection:
- Joe Batley (Bristol)
- Ollie Lawrence (Bath)
- Alex Lozowski (Saracens)
- George Martin (Leicester)
- Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton)
*Players assembling Tuesday.
EDITORS PICKS:
- Andy Farrell Bolsters Lions Squad Ahead of Argentina Clash
- Dan Cole makes his feeling clear on national anthem during Premiership final
- Champions Bath Confirm 18 Player Exits Post-Final
- Bath captain linked with shock departure despite Premiership triumph
- ‘Embarrassing for the game’: Cheika fuming after controversial decision
2/10: 5 Big-Name Underperformers from the Premiership Final
Bath finally broke their 29-year title drought with a nervy 23-21 win over Leicester Tigers, wrapping up a historic 2024/25 treble. But while the blue, black, and white were partying, some big names had a day to forget...
Honourable Mention: Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
? A brief cameo turned sour as the veteran prop bowed out of professional rugby with a cl. Rugby Pass called it
"a tragic way to finish his career."
Rating: 2/10
Rating: 2/10
#1. Joe Cokanasiga (Bath)
? Big Joe's big slip-up
He found himself in good positions but couldn’t make them count. Handling errors crept in, undermining his usual wrecking-ball threat.
"Unusually mistake-filled… unable to hold the ball," noted RUCK.
Rating: 5/10 (Planet Rugby), 6/10 (RUCK)
He found himself in good positions but couldn’t make them count. Handling errors crept in, undermining his usual wrecking-ball threat.
"Unusually mistake-filled… unable to hold the ball," noted RUCK.
Rating: 5/10 (Planet Rugby), 6/10 (RUCK)
#2. Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers)
? Nowhere to run
Radwan had flashes of pace, but spent much of the match marooned in heavy traffic. His defensive work didn’t help either.
"Bath dominated in the air and Radwan also missed quite a few tackles," Planet Rugby observed.
Rating: 5/10
Radwan had flashes of pace, but spent much of the match marooned in heavy traffic. His defensive work didn’t help either.
"Bath dominated in the air and Radwan also missed quite a few tackles," Planet Rugby observed.
Rating: 5/10
#3. Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers)
? The pass that broke the Tigers
Started brightly, directing play with authority, but his second-half unravelled. A stray pass to Russell led to a decisive Bath try, and he missed a crucial kick at goal.
"Blew white hot and ice cold," summed up Planet Rugby.
Rating: 5/10 (Planet Rugby & Rugby Pass)
Started brightly, directing play with authority, but his second-half unravelled. A stray pass to Russell led to a decisive Bath try, and he missed a crucial kick at goal.
"Blew white hot and ice cold," summed up Planet Rugby.
Rating: 5/10 (Planet Rugby & Rugby Pass)
#4. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
? Grounded under pressure
The safest hands in England were tested—and cracked. Bath’s tactical kicking drew him out of position, and a few spilled catches followed.
"Not his imperious best under the high ball," said Rugby Pass.
Rating: 4/10
The safest hands in England were tested—and cracked. Bath’s tactical kicking drew him out of position, and a few spilled catches followed.
"Not his imperious best under the high ball," said Rugby Pass.
Rating: 4/10
#5. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers)
? Breakdown? Break-gone.
Normally a menace at the ruck, Reffell struggled to assert himself and racked up penalties instead. Bath kept him largely out of the contest.
"Found himself on the wrong side of Dickson’s whistle… not Leicester’s afternoon at the breakdown."
Normally a menace at the ruck, Reffell struggled to assert himself and racked up penalties instead. Bath kept him largely out of the contest.
"Found himself on the wrong side of Dickson’s whistle… not Leicester’s afternoon at the breakdown."
Quiz! Can you name every club that has played in the Premiership?
London Welsh were the last new team to play in the Gallagher Premiership back in 2011 – can you name the others?
You have five minutes to name every club to have played in the Gallagher Premiership, all 28 of them, since the division was established back in 1987.
Good luck, and let us know how you do
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