"Former Lions coach Watching" – 5 Things You Missed: England's Open Training Session in York

02/28/2025 10:11 AM

England welcomed fans in to watch their training session today, as Steve Borthwick’s side hit the road for a mini training camp in York. A 29-man group gathered together at the LNER Community Stadium, with the Yorkshire faithful getting a rare glimpse of their England rugby heroes.

Find your local Greene King and settle in to the Six Nations!

The training session took place on the last day of the second Six Nations fallow week, with the regular rugby league stronghold given a union takeover by the England players. Approximately 6,000 fans braved the Northern chill, and packed themselves in to the regular home of York Knights. England also opened the doors to the media for the training session, and here are the biggest talking points from the session.

George Ford at fly half and Marcus Smith with the substitutes

Whilst there were a handful of regular starters on the injury side-lines with modified training, England ran through multiple training matches with what looked like an established starting XV. What we could decipher from the Community Stadium stands, was that the yellow-bibbed players looked to be in Borthwick’s plans to start, whilst the green-bibbed players made up the replacements in defence for an early training exercise.

There was a return to the starting XV for George Ford, as Fin Smith had a modified session and Marcus Smith ran reps with the replacements. Whilst this is by no means the definitive squad to take on Italy next Sunday, it was interesting to look at the possible plans which could be in place. Even if we have read far too much into what we saw at the Community Stadium, here’s what our detective work deduced from the bitterly cold stands.

STARTING XV (YELLOW BIBS)

15. Elliot Daly 14. Tommy Freeman 13. Fraser Dingwall 12. Ollie Lawrence 11. Ollie Sleightholme 10. George Ford 9. Alex Mitchell 1. Ellis Genge 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 3. Will Stuart 4. Maro Itoje 5. Ollie Chessum 6. Chandler Cunningham-South 7. Ben Curry 8 Alex Dombrandt

REPLACEMENTS (GREEN BIBS)

16. Jamie George 17. Fin Baxter 18. Joe Heyes 19. Ted Hill 20. Henry Pollock 21. Harry Randall 22. Marcus Smith 23. Oscar Beard / Tom Roebuck

Players out of action or on ‘Modified Training’

George Martin

It was great to see George Martin out on the pitch at the Community Stadium, yet it was apparent that the Leicester Tigers man won’t be back at full fitness for a Six Nations comeback. The lock has been ruled out for the final two Tests of the tournament, with a problematic shoulder injury only adding to his already less than perfect knee issue. The lock has long been one to put his body on the line with no regard for his own safety, yet this litany of knocks could well cause Martin to be slightly more cautious.

There were a handful of players not involved with the regular team run-throws, as the bumps and bruises have started to add up after three arduous Test matches in the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations. The battles against Ireland, France and Scotland have started to take their toll, with the following players enjoying a modified training session in the York sunshine.

Fin Smith

The Northampton Saints fly half was instrumental in England’s win over Scotland, as he nailed a pivotal penalty from just inside the Scottish half. Smith was doing lighter training exercises and not running with the full squad, as George Ford led the attacking line at 10. However, much like Ben Earl, Fin Smith is expected to return to full training next week, as England head back down south to their Surrey training base and get ready for Gonzalo Quesada’s Italian side.

Ben Earl

The number eight actually revealed the reason why he was on the side-lines to the audience, and explained to the fans that he was suffering from a foot infection. The Saracen was off his feet with mostly watt-bike orientated training, yet Earl is expected to be back on the grass as usual for when England return to their regular camp next week. The back row continues to be one of England’s most consistent performers, and won’t let an acute injury hinder his prospects of playing against Italy.

Tom Willis

Like Ben Earl, Tom Willis was also handed the microphone to address the fans that packed themselves into the LNER Community Stadium. Willis watched on from the touchlines for most of the session, only testing himself with some spin outs on the pitch-side watt bikes. Willis suffered a head injury in the win over Scotland, after a clash of heads with Ellis Genge forced the back row off the pitch. Willis explained how he is working through all of the correct return to play protocols, in the hopes of a return before the Six Nations is concluded.

Henry Slade

The Plymouth born Henry Slade joked that he was ‘too far North for his liking’, when the centre took hold of the microphone to speak with the fans. The Exeter Chiefs man was also undergoing some modified training with the England squad, which allowed Northampton Saints man Fraser Dingwall the opportunity to run reps alongside Ollie Lawrence within the apparent starting XV. Slade is another man who should be back in with regular training next week, with the centre expected to command the midfield once again against Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy.

Sir Ian McGeechan’s cameo in Yorkshire

There was a well known rugby legend watching on in York, as Sir Ian McGeechan enjoyed some of the best seats in the house at the Community Stadium. The former British & Irish Lions head coach was asked on who from the England team, he would back for a place upon the upcoming 2025 tour to Australia. The Scotsman kept the Anglo-Celtic rivalry all the more alive after last weekend’s Calcutta Cup match, and joked that the England players have “got a bit of work to do” before pulling on the famous red jersey.

However more interestingly, was Sir McGeechan’s opinion on how the RFU needs to bring rugby back up to the North of England for a men’s Test match. McGeechan echoed the thoughts of England skills coach (and proud Lancaster man) Kevin Sinfield, in how England need to spread the game across the country, and not just limit themselves to the locality of their Twickenham stronghold. McGeechan called upon how an England A match would be an excellent reccy option, before the Red Roses and other women’s sides head up North for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Richard Hill excited for Red Roses to light up the North

Following up on this, England Team Manager and 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Richard Hill, expressed his excitement for when the Red Roses head up North. John Mitchell’s side will be at the York Community Stadium for the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash against Italy, on Sunday March 23rd, in what will be another exciting opportunity to showcase rugby union in the league stronghold.

The Red Roses will then kick off the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup even further up the country, as England take on the United States in Sunderland’s Stadium of Light. The North West hosts the opening match of the tournament on Friday August 22nd, before England head gradually back down the country. England are set for additional pool matches against Samoa in Northampton (Franklin’s Gardens, 30th August) before facing off with the Wallaroos of Australia in Brighton (Hove Albion Stadium, 6th September).

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