Joe Marler has taken a significant step towards England’s final World Cup squad after his loosehead prop rival, Bevan Rodd, was one of two players cut by Steve Borthwick. Sam Underhill has also been omitted from the latest 39-man England squad with Borthwick’s plans for the tournament in France taking shape.
Marler revealed last week how a face-to-face meeting with Borthwick this year convinced him to pursue another campaign and, with Rodd now out of the picture, the 33‑year‑old is on course for his third successive World Cup.
Marler has not appeared for England since the 2022 Six Nations and had retired previously from international duty in 2018. He has spoken candidly about struggling with spending long spells away from his family and has not toured since the 2019 World Cup but, after reassurances from Borthwick, Marler is back in the fold.
Ellis Genge and the uncapped Val Rapava-Ruskin are the other two looseheads in the squad while Mako Vunipola continues his rehabilitation from a back injury, but Marler offers a solidity at the scrum that is valued by Borthwick. With doubts persisting over Vunipola’s injury, it would now be a surprise if Marler does not make the final 33.
Underhill effectively misses out because of the wealth of back-row options Borthwick has at his disposal. Jack Willis was one of the few bright spots for England during a difficult Six Nations campaign and has since won the Top 14 title with Toulouse. Tom Curry is also fit again after missing the Six Nations, leaving no room for the specialist openside flanker Underhill, who has not appeared for England under Borthwick but had impressed the head coach in the early summer camps after another injury-hit campaign.
Lewis Ludlam, Ben Earl, Tom Pearson, Tom Willis and Alex Dombrandt are also vying for the final squad – as is Billy Vunipola, who is certain to be selected if he can prove his fitness. Like his brother Mako, Billy Vunipola is in camp for rehab, along with Ollie Chessum, Jack Walker and Ollie Lawrence, who is understood to be the closest to full fitness of the quintet.
Meanwhile, the Rugby Football Union is planning an overhaul of its governance structure and decision-making process after instigating a review following a nightmare season with the demise of three Premiership clubs. The purpose of the review will be to consider the RFU organisational structures, relationships between council, board and executive, and decision-making processes.
