England will announce a training squad for their tour of Argentina and the United States later this week.
With those picked for the British and Irish Lions and players from Bath and Northampton, who are preparing for European finals, to be left out, there are some intriguing options pushing hard.
Uncapped full-back Joe Carpenter put in another classy display at the back in the win over Bristol and has been integral to Sale’s late-season form.
Team-mate Raffi Quirke came off the bench to score a sharp try, after Harry Randall had done similar for Bristol in the first half. Fellow nine Jack van Poortvliet impressed again for Leicester, delivering zippy service and setting up Joe Woodward’s try with a well-weighted cross-field bomb.
Winger Adam Radwan now has nine tries in nine games since joining Tigers mid-season from Newcastle and will be difficult to ignore.
Seb Atkinson purred in Gloucester’s midfield, deftly setting up Chris Harris and teenage wing Jack Cotgreave for tries and racing away for one of his own, as they beat Newcastle.
Saracens number eight Tom Willis took out some of his frustration at being overlooked for the Lions with a big hit on Henry Pollock in Saracens’ loss to Northampton.
Exeter back row Ethan Roots, whose last appearance for England was back in March 2024, also put in a timely performance, menacing the breakdown and rattling ribs in the loose against Harlequins.
Will Evans, who leads the league’s turnover charts with team-mate Jack Kenningham, was also in typically light-fingered form, pilfering ball on the floor.
The last time England toured Argentina in a Lions year, a teenage Tom Curry made his debut. Only injury has shifted him from England’s back row ever since. Opportunity knocks.
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