With England’s Lions touring Australia, Steve Borthwick faces the delicate task of selecting an England squad for the summer tour to Argentina. The challenge lies in balancing youth and experience while avoiding the pitfalls that have accompanied such tours in the past.
Back in 2017, when Warren Gatland named his British & Irish Lions squad to New Zealand, England contributed 16 players. That squad was missing some key figures, but England was riding high, having won the previous two Six Nations and boasting an impressive record under Eddie Jones. The very next day, Jones announced a separate England squad for the Argentina tour, deliberately selecting younger, less-experienced players. This move was part strategic statement and part opportunity to unearth future stars. He famously said they wanted to find players “who are going to be better than the 16 players going on the Lions tour.” This approach paid off to some extent, as players like Tom Curry emerged as world-class talents, but it also revealed the dangers of bringing in untested youngsters who might not be quite ready for international rugby.
Jones’s scattergun selection style sometimes backfired, as players were blooded too early only to be discarded quickly. For every success story, there were players like Jack Maunder who made a fleeting appearance before disappearing from the international scene. Four years later, with 12 Lions away, Jones again handed debuts to promising young talents such as Marcus Smith and Freddie Steward, declaring a “new England.” But those tours often proved challenging; England’s form suffered in the Six Nations following Lions years, and summer tours became a testing ground that sometimes exposed the limits of inexperienced squads.
Now it falls to Borthwick to navigate similar waters. He will name his squad soon, mindful of injuries and players involved in club finals. Without the Lions and some key unavailable players, he will need to identify a captain for the three Tests against Argentina and the USA, with Jamie George the obvious frontrunner despite some previous controversy around his leadership.
Borthwick inherits a strong pool of players, boosted by a positive Six Nations campaign capped by a record win in Cardiff. Yet he’s cautious about selecting youth merely for the sake of it. His priority is picking players genuinely ready to compete at Test level and who will get meaningful game time. This approach signals a more measured, considered strategy than some of Jones’s past gambles.
Some familiar names will likely feature in the back three, including George Furbank, Tom Roebuck, Manny Feyi-Waboso, and Freddie Steward. However, there’s a clear case for reintegrating Henry Arundell, whose season at Racing 92 was difficult but who possesses the raw talent England cannot ignore. The centre position, with fewer standout options, could be bolstered by promising players such as Oscar Beard, Max Ojomoh, or Seb Atkinson alongside Fraser Dingwall.
In the front row, Borthwick should give Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Afo Fasogbon their first Test starts, potentially flanking the experienced Jamie George. The second row remains an area of concern, especially regarding physicality, and players like Chandler Cunningham-South and Ewan Richards may get opportunities. Meanwhile, back-row options look strong and deep, with Ben Curry expected to be a key figure if fit, and Bath’s Guy Pepper — compared by his coach to Richie McCaw — a prime candidate for blooding at this level.
The legacy of past England tours after Lions years shows both the opportunities and the risks of giving untested players a chance. Borthwick will have to manage a squad that’s missing many of the usual stars, while preparing for a demanding autumn campaign. This summer’s tour is more than just a chance to blood new talent; it’s a crucial period for building depth and resilience in the England squad ahead of a challenging season.
