George Furbank has been included in England’s squad for the forthcoming Six Nations, handing Steve Borthwick a timely boost after recovering from a calf injury.
The Northampton full-back has not appeared for his club since 20 December and missed the entire autumn internationals campaign but returns to the 36-man squad that will head to Girona next week for a warm-weather training camp.
Furbank has been plagued by injuries of late and missed last year’s Six Nations with an arm injury. As reported by the Guardian, the Exeter back-rower Greg Fisilau is included as one of three uncapped players, alongside Bath’s 20-year-old tighthead prop Billy Sella and the Northampton loosehead Emmanuel Iyogun.
Borthwick has a headache at tighthead, with Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour sidelined through injury, paving the way for a call-up for Sella, who has been preferred to Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon. Iyogun profits from Fin Baxter’s foot injury, though the Harlequin is expected to feature during the Championship.
Saracens have announced Mark McCall will step down as director of rugby at the end of the season, with Brendan Venter to return for the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
Following 15 seasons in the job, McCall will remain as technical adviser and will also join the board. The South African Venter will return to a position he first held in 2009, having then recruited McCall as first-team coach, before switching to a part-time role as technical adviser, with Saracens going on to success domestically and in Europe.
McCall said: "I am immensely proud of what we have achieved at Saracens and grateful for the opportunity to have led the rugby programme for so long.
"I feel the time is right for change, while still remaining deeply involved in the club I care so much about. I am really looking forward to supporting Brendan and contributing in a way that helps Saracens continue to move forward."
Saracens said the changes will provide a "sense of continuity and collaboration" under the new structure as the club moves into its "next chapter".
Venter said: "I am incredibly proud to once again lead the rugby programme. Mark's continued involvement was key to me accepting the appointment."
Fisilau, meanwhile, has been rewarded for some fine form for the Chiefs, adding a robust ball-carrying option in the absence of Tom Willis, who was awarded an enhanced contract at the start of the season but who is again not considered having agreed a move to Bordeaux for next season.
Borthwick has a number of players nursing injuries listed as travelling to Girona for rehabilitation along with Baxter, in Fin Smith (calf), Tom Roebuck (foot), Ollie Lawrence (knee) and Ben Curry (hamstring). The return of Furbank is welcome, however, the 29-year-old offering a ball-playing option at full-back in contrast to Freddie Steward.
Forwards: Ollie Chessum (Leicester , 30 caps), Arthur Clark (Gloucester, 1 cap), Alex Coles (Northampton, 14 caps), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale, 53 caps), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 20 caps), Tom Curry (Sale, 65 caps), Theo Dan (Saracens, 20 caps), Trevor Davison (Northampton, 3 caps), Ben Earl (Saracens, 46 caps), Greg Fisilau (Exeter, uncapped), Ellis Genge (Bristol, 75 caps), Jamie George (Saracens, 105 caps), Joe Heyes (Leicester, 17 caps), Maro Itoje (Saracens, 97 caps) – captain, Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton, uncapped), Guy Pepper (Bath, 7 caps), Henry Pollock (Northampton, 5 caps), Bevan Rodd (Sale, 10 caps), Vilikesa Sela (Bath, uncapped), Sam Underhill (Bath, 45 caps)
Backs: Henry Arundell (Bath, 11 caps), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester, 2 caps)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 74 caps), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton, 7 caps), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter, 13 caps), George Ford (Sale, 105 caps), Tommy Freeman (Northampton, 22 caps), George Furbank (Northampton, 14 caps), Alex Mitchell (Northampton, 27 caps), Cadan Murley (Harlequins, 4 caps) , Max Ojomoh (Bath, 2 caps), Henry Slade (Exeter, 74 caps), Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 46 caps), Ben Spencer (Bath, 14 caps), Freddie Steward (Leicester, 41 caps), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester, 21 caps)
Elsewhere, as expected it is a largely settled squad, again captained by Maro Itoje, as England seek a first Six Nations title since the Covid-hit 2020 championship. Seb Atkinson returns to bolster the centre ranks after impressing on his debut last summer before missing the autumn through injury. Trevor Davison will vie with Sella as the second prop in the matchday squad behind Joe Heyes, who came on considerably during the autumn.
Jack van Poortvliet is back in the squad as one of three scrum-halves after missing the autumn with Raffi Quirke dropping out. There is no place for the 19-year-old Noah Caluori, who was included in the squad during the autumn after catching the eye with five tries on his first Premiership start.
