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England won four games from four this autumn to extend their winning streak to 11 matches but how is Steve Borthwick’s squad shaping up two years out from a World Cup?
Harry Latham-CoyleRugby CorrespondentMonday 24 November 2025 12:02 GMTComments
open image in galleryImmanuel Feyi-Waboso and Henry Slade both played their part in England’s win over Argentina (Getty Images)
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England closed their autumn with a scrappy win over Argentina to extend their winning run to 11 matches and end the year unbeaten at home.
Having suffered defeat to Ireland in Dublin at the start of the Six Nations, Steve Borthwick’s side have since won every game, with a signature victory over the All Blacks secured last weekend.
Borthwick will have been pleased with the progress his team have made since a difficult November 12 months ago, with the head coach beginning to put together a squad that looks capable of winning the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The tour of Argentina in July, held concurrently with the British and Irish Lions series against the Wallabies, enabled Borthwick to build depth in key areas and drive competition within the squad – as should generally be the case given the size of their player pool.
But in which positions are England looking strong and where is more development needed? Here’s our assessment of their stocks.
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Prop
open image in galleryJoe Heyes had an excellent November for England (PA Wire)Perhaps the area of greatest improvement over the last year or so. 2025 saw Fin Baxter and Joe Heyes really emerge as forces at Test level, while Will Stuart’s standout Six Nations saw him join Ellis Genge as deserved Lions tourists. The scrum is now developing into a real weapon. With Asher Opoku-Fordjour a player of real promise capable of covering both sides, plus younger players like Afolabi Fasogbon and Vilikesa Sela developing quickly and given England A opportunities, Borthwick will feel he is in a good spot.
Hooker
open image in galleryJamie George continues to perform well at 35 (Action Images/Reuters)A position of strength for now, but there is reason to fret about the future with Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie both towards the back end of their careers. While both could yet make 2027, it might concern Borthwick that Theo Dan still feels such a work in progress even if his explosiveness as a ball carrier is a point of difference. Getting more time into Curtis Langdon and Gabriel Oghre, both solid on tour in July, may be worthwhile with George now 35 years old.
Lock
open image in galleryEngland may need to develop more options behind Maro Itoje in the second row (Getty Images)The second row remains a bit of a worry. As a duo, Maro Itoje and Ollie Chessum are very strong but the ongoing injury troubles for George Martin are unfortunate, particularly with England lacking other tighthead lock options of sufficient size to mix it with the bigger packs. That said, Alex Coles is coming on well – the long-limbed lock gets through mountains of work – and Chandler Cunningham-South has had opportunities in the engine room for both club and country. Junior Kpoku may be a name to monitor looking longer term if he returns to the Prem from Racing 92. Charlie Ewels’s value was underlined on the tour of Argentina and in the final lineout at the end of the autumn Pumas clash.
Back row
open image in galleryHenry Pollock (left) and Tom Curry (right) came off the bench in every England game this November (PA Wire)While there is a nagging thought that a lack of big back row ball carriers in England after Tom Willis’s decision to move to the Top 14 is not ideal, the manner in which England have weaponised a swarming, cackling clan of back row scavengers is impressive. Ben Curry and Emeka Ilione, who Borthwick loves, are still to return from injury to complement Guy Pepper, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill and Henry Pollock as openside options, leaving Ben Earl likely to occupy the No 8 shirt for the foreseeable future. Cunningham-South provides an alternative, too.
Scrum half
open image in galleryBen Spencer started against Argentina (AFP via Getty Images)Alex Mitchell looks totally secure in his starting spot despite Ben Spencer starting against Argentina in England’s last game of November. Mitchell came on and added a bit of extra zip in that game. Behind them, England have had both Raffi Quirke and an injured Jack van Poortvliet in camp throughout the autumn – each has had fitness issues but they may come to supplant Spencer in time, however impressive a controller the Bath scrum half is. Harry Randall has also featured this year.
Fly half
open image in galleryGeorge Ford was a stand-out as England beat New Zealand (PA Wire)George Ford was uncharacteristically error prone in the final game of November but displayed why he was re-installed as England’s first-choice No 10 in two outstanding showings against Australia and the All Blacks. At 32, he is as calm, confident and composed as ever – Fin Smith’s time will surely come after a standout Six Nations earlier this year but for now he may have to be content with a position as a high-quality back-up. Marcus Smith is perhaps now being looked at as much as a full-back as a fly half but his position as third-string playmaker evidences England’s depth.
Beyond, there are a few worries – Charlie Atkinson and Jamie Benson were included in the England A squad but neither is currently first choice 10 for their club. But it would be a shock if, injury permitting, this trio are not in place all the way through to the World Cup; a return for Owen Farrell now feels unlikely.
Centre
open image in galleryMax Ojomoh shone for England against Argentina (PA Wire)The landscape in midfield is vastly improved from the start of 2025, when an Ollie Lawrence/Henry Slade partnership was persisted with as much out of necessity and consistency as anything. Lawrence has come again after a horrible injury in the Six Nations, while Fraser Dingwall showed in the All Blacks win all of the “glue” qualities that make him an ideal facilitator and defensive organiser. The Tommy Freeman at 13 project was put on hold by injury but both player and coaching staff are keen to continue it; Max Ojomoh – who might not have even been in the squad had Seb Atkinson been fit – showed the quality lurking beyond. Slade, for now, remains as an experienced alternative, though has a decision to make over his club, and maybe country, future.
Wing
open image in galleryImmanuel Feyi-Waboso provides strike-running threat for England (Getty Images)Another position where Borthwick may feel replete with options. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso remains a point of difference with ball in hand, while Tom Roebuck looks every inch a Test wing and will have been disappointed with two ill-timed injuries. Tommy Freeman remains one of the world’s best when utilised out wide, and while Elliot Daly was rusty on his return from a broken arm, that was perhaps to be expected after a long lay-off following the Lions tour. The veteran’s value, with capacity to cover 13-15, was emphasised by his head coach ahead of the game.
The kick-chasing capabilities of the back three have only become more important since the changes to the escorting law last November; in Roebuck, Freeman, Daly and Feyi-Waboso, Borthwick feels he has four outstanding operators, with the spring-shoed teenager Noah Caluori a coming force at Saracens. Henry Arundell will remain in the mix, too.
Full-back
open image in galleryThe aerial contest has become a vital battleground (REUTERS)Three starts this November for Freddie Steward were reward for a player who has gone away and worked to improve his game, with the Leicester back a better counter-attacker and one-on-one defender now, even if his aerial prowess has come under threat with the law changes. His early removal against New Zealand after a failed head injury assessment showed, though, how Marcus Smith can spark the attack in unstructured situations – it still feels like George Furbank may return to take the shirt for the Six Nations if he can shake off the injury issues that have bedevilled him over the last 11 months but England have options, with Daly around too.
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