"Won't play again," - Five players who flopped for England this summer

Wednesday, 23 July 2025 at 07:32

byRugby Rucker

July couldn’t have gone much better for Steve Borthwick’s England. Three wins from three, a clutch of exciting debuts, and a leap to fifth in the world rankings ahead of the all-important World Cup draw later this year.

That success came despite a lengthy list of absentees and real questions following the England XV’s bruising defeat to France XV in June. But Borthwick’s makeshift squad delivered – and then some – with a ferocious defence setting the tone.

But not everyone enhanced their reputation.

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With British & Irish Lions set to return in the Autumn, several players who featured this summer might find themselves surplus to requirements.

Here are five England players who flopped or faded – and could be on the chopping block come the Autumn.

1. Ted Hill – A Forgotten Man?

? Minutes played: 15
Hill barely saw the pitch, and it might have been his last real shot. England’s back-row is cutthroat right now, and while Hill offers pace and power, Borthwick seems unconvinced. The Bath flanker wasn’t bad – just invisible. With others taking their chances, he could be squeezed out.

2. Henry Slade – Brave, But Is It the End?

? Injury-hit series
Full credit to Slade for playing through the pain of a broken hand in the first Test, but it effectively ended his campaign. Solid defensively but limited with ball in hand – and at 32 in World Cup year, the question is: Has England outgrown him?

3. Theo Dan – Overtaken in the Pecking Order

? Outshone and injured
Handed a start in the second Test but looked off the pace before picking up a knock. With Curtis Langdon grabbing his shot and Lions duo Cowan-Dickie and Jamie George waiting in the wings, Dan needs a big club season to stay relevant.

4. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso – Not the Same Spark

? Red card, then rusty
A ban kept him out of the early matches, and though he showed glimpses – including a lovely assist for Harry Randall – Feyi-Waboso looked far from the electric threat we saw in the 2024 Six Nations. Handling errors and poor touches suggested rust, and with the wings stacked, his spot is far from safe.

5. Alex Dombrandt – Running Out of Road?

? Effort, not execution
Came off the bench to help close out a nervy win over Argentina, then got a full run-out against the USA – but it just didn’t quite click. Dombrandt brought his usual work rate, but the sharpness and impact weren’t there. With Ben Earl, Tom Curry, and young phenom Henry Pollock all set to return this Autumn, the 23-cap Harlequins star may have slipped down the pecking order for good.