England legend Courtney Lawes wants to make return to international rugby in 2025
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Courtney Lawes has revealed to Sky Sports that he's still open to donning the iconic red jersey of the British and Irish Lions in 2025, despite having stepped away from the international stage with England.
Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!
England? Thanks, but No Thanks
Lawes, who hung up his England boots after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, has firmly shut the door on a comeback. When asked about the possibility of being tempted back into the England fold, Lawes said he doesn't expect head coach Steve Borthwick to make that call.
"I don’t think he [Borthwick] would [call]," Lawes explained. "I spoke to him before I made the call [to retire], and he's a family man himself. He understands why I'm calling it a day."
The Lions: One Last Ride?
But the Lions are a different story altogether. Lawes, a two-time tourist with the squad, would be tempted by the opportunity for a third adventure in Australia. "With the Lions, if I’m still playing well and got a call-up, I would probably do that, yeah," he admitted. "One more tour would be pretty cool."
It seems that while his England days are behind him, the lure of Lions glory remains a tantalising prospect for Lawes.
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Six England stars who could switch nations for the 2027 Rugby World Cup
Under the revised rules, players can represent a new nation if they've gone three years without a Test cap and have a qualifying birthright through a parent or grandparent.
While some players have hinted at potential switches, others are already positioning themselves for a move. Here are six England stars who could pull on a different jersey in 2027.
Ollie Hassell-Collins – From the Rose to the Dragon?
Ollie Hassell-Collins has made it clear—if England don't come calling soon, he's open to switching to Wales.
The Leicester Tigers winger, capped twice by England in the 2023 Six Nations, has been frozen out under Steve Borthwick. But with Welsh ancestry on his side, he'll qualify for Warren Gatland's squad in early 2026.
Gatland himself has already hinted he'd welcome Hassell-Collins into the Welsh camp, and the speedster hasn't ruled it out either.
“I have seen Gatland's interview. I've got two caps for England, and obviously I'm English. But if I don't see anything in the next few years then it's definitely something that I would consider.”
With Wales on the hunt for attacking firepower, a switch to the valleys could be on the cards.
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