The old wooden walls and somewhat dated soft furnishings of England’s 19th-century Surrey training base may be unchanged but Joe Marchant could not shake a surreal feeling when he strolled back in to Pennyhill Park on Sunday. When the centre last left the hotel in August of 2023, he was embarking on twin French adventures: first to a World Cup where he emerged as one of England’s most reliable and important performers; then to a three-season stint with Stade Francais in the Top 14 after leaving Harlequins.
“I think surreal is a good word for it,” Marchant smiles after earning a first recall to the England squad following his summer move to Sale. “I’ve had loads of good memories here, loads of times where I have been in camp just fighting to get my place.
