Steve Borthwick has named his latest England squad for the upcoming Nations Championship, with clashes against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina on the horizon.
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While several fresh faces have earned opportunities, a number of notable names have been left out despite strong claims for selection.
Here, we take a look at five players who can count themselves unfortunate to have missed out on a place in the squad.
1 Ollie Lawrence
Lawrence’s omission is one of the more surprising selection calls. When fully fit and in form, he has established himself as one of England’s leading centres, despite an injury-disrupted campaign this season.
His Six Nations involvement was limited due to fitness issues, with his only appearance coming as a substitute against Ireland, where he crossed for a try.
A powerful ball carrier and reliable defender, the 26-year-old appears to have been overlooked in favour of Benhard Janse van Rensburg. Given Lawrence’s proven international pedigree and potential to contribute for years to come, his absence is difficult to understand.
2 Adam Radwan
Radwan remains a divisive player among supporters, but there is little doubt about his ability to find the tryline.
The winger has scored 12 tries this season and continues to offer genuine attacking threat. Alongside his pace, he has improved other areas of his game, particularly his defence and physicality.
Competition for places on the wing is fierce, and although he was involved from the bench against France XV last weekend, he ultimately missed out on selection. Even so, his finishing ability could have added a different dimension to England’s backline.
