Jamie George is expected to be named as Owen Farrell’s replacement as England captain when Steve Borthwick unveils his new-look squad for the Six Nations on Wednesday.
George has emerged as the frontrunner in recent weeks ahead of Ellis Genge and George Ford and, with Farrell making himself unavailable and Courtney Lawes having retired, Borthwick has a void to fill. Towards the end of last year, George was said to be very close to signing for a leading Top 14 club – a move that would have put his England career on hold – but having been persuaded to stay at Saracens and become one of the first recipients of the Rugby Football Union’s hybrid contracts next season, Borthwick looks ready to promote him to the role.
George has been out with a neck injury of late but the 33‑year‑old hooker is expected to be fit for the Six Nations and is one of the few guaranteed starters at Borthwick’s disposal.
After England’s third-place finish at the World Cup at the end of October, George was unsure whether he would seek to continue through to the 2027 tournament but in the shorter term he would represent a safe pair of hands for the job.
Having captained the British & Irish Lions on the 2021 tour of South Africa, he recently discussed the possibility of doing so for his country. “I’m hugely flattered to be in the conversation,” said George. “Obviously I’ve played with Owen my entire life so captaincy is something that has always fallen to him, and rightly so because he’s incredible. I have led teams before so it is something that I would really embrace and really enjoy.”
Genge has been out of action since early December, which may have ultimately counted against him, but is closing in on a return for Bristol. He is unlikely to be fit to face Connacht in the Champions Cup on Friday but could forgo the first week of England’s training camp in Girona to line up against Bath on 27 January before joining up with Borthwick’s squad. With Mako Vunipola retired, Bevan Rodd sidelined and question marks over Joe Marler, the inform Beno Obano is in line for a call-up at loosehead prop.
Borthwick is poised to name a squad of around 36 on Wednesday with a number of new faces as he begins his first full World Cup cycle in charge. Farrell, Lawes, Jonny May and Mako Vunipola have all made themselves unavailable while Jack Willis, David Ribbans, Joe Marchant and Henry Arundell are all based in France. Both Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam are expected to join them, meaning Borthwick has a number of key positions in which to blood new personnel.
The head coach has recently signalled his intentions to pick Exeter’s Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Ethan Roots and recall Henry Slade, as well as the free-scoring Northampton winger Tommy Freeman – capped under Eddie Jones but overlooked for the World Cup – and a clutch of his Saints teammates who have helped guide the club to the top of the Premiership. High-flying Bath will also be represented though Borthwick will anxiously await the outcome of Alfie Barbeary’s disciplinary hearing on Wednesday.
