"One Cap Wonders" – England's XV of one cap stars now includes Henry Pollock

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Winning a debut England cap is the pinnacle of any English rugby player's career, regardless of their age for when the opportunity arises. A moment of individual glory that cements their place in the history, with their freinds and family watching on as they represent their national team.

But for some, the taste of the Test match stage rugby is a fleeting one. Every player in this England XV has only enjoyed a single outing in the white jersey to date. Whether victims of selection whims, untimely injuries, or sheer bad luck, these players all hold a ‘one and done’ status in the England Rugby record books… for now at least.

In true RUCK fashion, we're diving into the archives to build an England XV made up entirely of “one-cap wonders”, players who, for one reason or another, are yet to add to their solitary international appearance. Some were unlucky to be born in an era of fierce competition, whilst others left fans wondering what might have been.

With England’s Summer Tour of Argentina and the USA fast approaching, some of these solo stars could add to their cap collection across the Americas. However, for those players who are since long removed from the England fringes, one thing's for sure: in another timeline they could have been household names.

15. Mark Cornelius van Gisbergen (Wasps & Lyon)

England 26 – 26 Australia – 2005 Autumn Series

Born in New Zealand, van Gisbergen qualified for England through residency and became a key player for Wasps, helping the club secure multiple Premiership titles and a Heineken Cup during the 2000s. The fullback was renowned for his reliable goal-kicking and counter-attacking ability, and earned his sole England cap against Australia in the 2005 Autumn Internationals, coming off the bench in a 26-16 defeat at Twickenham. After leaving Wasps in 2012, he played a season with Lyon in France before retiring from professional rugby.

14. Christian Wade (Gloucester, Racing 92 & Wasps)

Argentina 3 – 32 England – 2013 Summer Tour

Wade is one of the most exciting wingers in English rugby, known for his blistering pace and elusive footwork, he is lighting up Kingsholm Stweek after week. A prolific try-scorer for Wasps and the England Sevens team, he was called up for England's 2013 summer tour to Argentina to earn his only cap in a 32-3 victory. Despite his international potential, he struggled for further opportunities under Stuart Lancaster, which lead him to pursue a career in American football as a running back with the Buffallo Bills. Wade returned to rugby in 2022 with Racing 92, before joining and Gloucester ahead of the 2024/25 season.

13. Geoff Appleford (London Irish & Northampton Saints)

Argentina 18 – 26 England 2002 Summer Tour

Appleford was a hard-running centre who played a key role for London Irish in the early 2000s. He won his sole England cap during the 2002 summer tour to Argentina, starting in the 26-18 win in Buenos Aires. Born in South Africa, Appleford qualified for England through ancestry and was a dependable midfield presence for both London Irish and Northampton Saints before retiring from professional rugby.

12. Stephen Myler (London Irish, Northampton Saints & Ospreys)

Argentina 3 – 32 England – 2013 Summer Tour

Myler was a composed fly-half best known for his long tenure at Northampton Saints, where he guided the club to Premiership and Challenge Cup success. Originally a rugby league player, Myler transitioned to union and earned his only England cap at the age of 28 against Argentina in 2013, coming off the bench in a 32-3 win. He later played for London Irish and Ospreys before retiring in 2022.

11. Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby)

Italy 5 – 34 England – 2020 Guinness Six Nations

Thorley is a powerful winger who has long been a standout for Gloucester Rugby. A strong ball carrier with a high work rate, he was rewarded with his England debut in the 2020 Six Nations against Italy, coming on as a replacement in a 34-5 victory. Though he hasn't added to his cap total since, he remains a key figure at club level, continuing to push for further international recognition.

10. Jacob Umaga (Benetton Rugby & Wasps)

England 43 – 29 United States – 2021 Summer Test

Jacob Umaga is a talented fly-half who played for Wasps before moving to Italy with Benetton Rugby. Part of a famous rugby family which includes Tana Umaga and the late, great Jerry Collins. Umaga was handed his England debut against the USA in the 2021 Summer Tests, coming off the bench in a 43-29 win. Despite his promise, he opted to continue his career in Italy after the collapse of the Coventry club, which ruled him out of any future England caps. Umaga has developed into a key playmaker in the URC, and could well turn to an Italian call-up via residency, or to represent Samoa, like his father Mike Umaga.

9. Scott Benton (Gloucester, Leeds Tykes, Sale Sharks & Otago)

Australia 76-0 England – 1998 Summer Test

Scott Benton was a scrum-half who played for Gloucester, Leeds Tykes, and Sale Sharks. His only England cap came against Australia on the 1998 summer tour, where he featured in a record low loss on the infamous ‘Tour of Hell’ as England were handed a monstrous 76-0 defeat by the Wallabies. The enormity of the defeat had repercussions upon his Test match career, as his England tenure was halted after just one cap, and Benton pursued a provincial club campaign in New Zealand. Although his international career was brief, he remained a respected player at club level before retiring from professional rugby.

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