Prediction: Steve Borthwick's 36-man England squad for the 2025 Guinness Six Nations

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The meteoric pace of the rugby schedule knows no bounds. Whilst we are just one day removed from the end of England’s Autumn Nations Series, the eyes of the rugby world have already begun to turn to the 2025 Guinness Six Nations. The annual competition returns upon the first weekend of February, and Steve Borthwick has plenty to deliberate ahead of the upcoming trip to Dublin.

England have arguably the toughest fixture of the lot to contend with first, as they hop across the Irish Sea for a battle with the back-to-back Six Nations champions. However, England would feel optimistic as they head to the Aviva Stadium, following their dramatic win against Ireland in the 2024 Six Nations, thanks to the last-minute sharpshooting of Marcus Smith’s match winning drop goal.

The England players are set to reconvene in the new year, with the squad now dispersed back across the clubs in the Premiership. Borthwick will call his side back together for a pre-competition training camp in Girona next January, and we have laid out our picks as to who will be involved for the latest installment of “Rugby’s Greatest Championship”. Now, with the best laid plans considered here with all players being fit in time for the tournament, here is Ruck’s predicted England squad, for the 2025 Guinness Six Nations.

PREDICTION: ENGLAND SQUAD FOR THE 2025 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS

PROPS

Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)

Fin Baxter (Harlequins)

Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)

Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)

Afolabi Fasgbon (Gloucester Rugby)

Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)

INJURY COVER: Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)

We kick start the new year with deciphering the front row, with a combination of the old guard and the next generation populating our picks for the props. Despite having previously expressed how he is taking his Test match career ‘one match at a time’, we would love to see Dan Cole continue his run in the England team, as the 37-year-old is more often than not Borthwick’s best scrummaging option on the tight-head side.

However, this accolade has been challenged by the introduction of Asher Opoku-Fordjour, with the highly rated 20-year-old earning his Test debut in yesterday’s landslide win against Japan. We expect to see the Sale prop selected for the Six Nations, as he brings the invaluable quality of packing down both the loose and tight heads of the pack.

Our additional picks for the Six Nations props are the reoccurring faces of the latest Autumn campaign. We expect to see the ‘Baby Rhino’ Ellis Genge continue his stampeding return to the England team, with Fin Baxter in tow as a bolt of youthful exuberance off the bench. Will Stuart is predicted to once again be the first choice in the three jersey, with an uncapped hopeful in Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasgbon named in the wider training group.

HOOKERS

Jamie George (Saracens) (C)

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)

Theo Dan (Saracens)

INJURY COVER: Gabriel Oghre (Bristol Bears)

The hooker squad depth is amongst the easier areas of the Six Nations squad to predict, with a trio of talents emerging throughout the Autumn as Steve Borthwick’s go to options. Of course there is the captain Jamie George, who will in no doubt start each of the five Test matches England take on this coming February and March.

Supporting George will be the combination of Luke Cowan-Dickie and Theo Dan, with the two hookers getting a lop-sided share of the replacement involvements throughout the past Autumn. Dan was picked as the replacement hooker for the opening round defeat to the All Blacks, whilst Cowan-Dickie took over the operations off the bench for the following three Tests against Australia, South Africa and Japan.

LOCKS

Maro Itoje (Saracens)

George Martin (Leicester Tigers)

Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)

Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)

Rusi Tuima (Exeter Chiefs)

INJURY COVER: Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)

Another area of Steve Borthwick’s starting XV that is seemingly ‘nailed on’ for the Six Nations, we predict to see the partnership of Maro Itoje and George Martin bind back up as they pack down England’s engine room. Ollie Chessum is a hopeful to return to England duties in the new year, after the Leicester Tigers man sustained a knee injury in training in the lead up to the opening Test against the All Blacks.

Should Chessum recover in time, he would be the front-runner for the number 19 shirt, and would be an excellent replacement to come on for George Martin in the latter stages at the Aviva Stadium. Chessum brings a versatility across both the locks and flanks, with England fans hopeful to see him back in action before too long. We’ve given the nod for an uncapped England ‘bolter’, with Rusi Tuima a hopeful for an England debut, as he continues his barnstorming form with Exeter Chiefs, and more recently with England A, against Australia A.

Tuima was called up by Steve Borthwick into the wider England training camp this past Summer, yet was unable to make the cut for the touring squad that jetted out to Japan and New Zealand. We also expect Nick Isiekwe to be in the locking ranks for the Six Nations, with Bath man Charlie Ewels the expected option to provide injury coverage.

BACK ROW

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)

Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)

Ben Earl (Saracens)

Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)

Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)

Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)

INJURY COVER: Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)

Looking at the back row now, and there is another exciting uncapped ‘bolter’ that England fans would love to see earn a Test debut next Spring. Northampton Saints back row Henry Pollock is up in the echelons of the most talked about England prospects, following some truly mesmeric performances in green, black and gold. We’d love to see Pollock get the call-up, and bring his unique brand of fired-up fury to the senior stage.

The pecking order for the back row remains the same as the Autumn Nations Series, yet Pollock takes the place of Alex Dombrandt as a back row option. The versatility of Ben Earl and Chandler Cunningham-South provide opportune coverage across the flanks and number eight, with both men expected in all of Borthwick’s match day 23s. The revered ‘Under-Curry’ partnership could return for the Six Nations, with the Bath and Sale hard hitters out to leave their opponents battered and bruised week after week.

We only caught a glimpse of ‘Under-Curry’ this past Autumn, with the duo selected to start against Australia and then Japan. However, just 13 minutes into the match against the Wallabies, Curry was knocked unconscious and withdrawn from the action. Then against Japan, Underhill was taken off with an early first half injury, and limped off under the weight of two medical personnel, after scoring England’s second try of the afternoon.

SCRUM HALVES

Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)

Harry Randall (Bristol Bears)

Jack van Poortvleit (Leicester Tigers)

INJURY COVER: Will Porter (Harlequins)

Moving on to the scrum halves now, and despite our optimism for the likes of Ollie Chessum and Sam Underhill to be fit for the 2025 Six Nations, the same can not be said for Alex Mitchell. Northampton Saints are said to be taking a ‘conservative approach’ to managing the scrum halves neck injury, with the halfback given ample time to rest and recover, with no immediate plans for his return to the pitch.

Mitchell was absent for the entire Autumn Nations Series, with the above listed trio of Ben Spencer, Jack van Poortvleit and Harry Randall given the share of the nine shirt. We anticipate the same three scrum halves will be selected for the 2025 Six Nations, with England A halfback Will Porter in the mix if there are any injury complications.

FLY HALVES

Marcus Smith (Harlequins)

Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)

George Ford (Sale Sharks)

INJURY COVER: Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby)

The fly halves follow the same suit as the scrum halves, with Marcus Smith, George Ford and Fin Smith being our predicted triumvirate to orchestrate the attacking lines. Whilst it was an Autumn Nations to forget for England from a results perspective, Marcus Smith cemented his claim to be England’s first choice 10, with four brilliant performances throughout November.

George Ford made two appearances throughout the campaign, with his first likely keeping the Sale man up at night, as he missed two match winning kicks against the All Blacks. Ford’s involvement was at first a straight swap for Marcus Smith, before the Harlequin moved to fullback for the gut-punching conclusion to the defeat to Australia. Ford was an unused replacement against the Springboks, with England fans continuing to clamber for the involvement of Saints talisman Fin Smith.

The green, black and gold contingent of England supporters got their wish for the final match of the Autumn, as Fin Smith was introduced off the bench, and Marcus again moved back to fullback. Fin provided an excellent cross-field kick for Tom Roebuck to gather and score, in what was the first Test match try for the exciting Sale Sharks flyer. With the trio selected for the Six Nations, any injury issues would likely see young Gloucester fly half Charlie Atkinson get the call-up into the England camp.

CENTRES

Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)

Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby)

Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)

Oscar Beard (Harlequins)

INJURY COVER: Max Ojomah (Bath Rugby)

England’s midfield is another area that Borthwick kept rather consistent throughout the Autumn Nations Series, with no alternation away from Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade. Whilst the two centres did swap up who wore the 12 or 13 shirts for the matches against Australia and South Africa, the personnel remained the same for those selected in the respective midfield channels.

The centres have become quite the shallow area for England’s selection, with Borthwick not blessed with options to fill the two shirts. It was only 15 months ago that Borthwick had to pick between Manu Tuilagi, Joe Marchant and even Owen Farrell in the 12 shirt, with Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence further bolstering the ranks of the midfield pecking order. Now it is a far more straight forward decision, with Borthwick also looking to rely on the versatility of Tommy Freeman as a covering option.

Should either of Slade or Lawrence be unfit for the Six Nations, Fraser Dingwall is waiting in the wings for his senior England return. Borthwick put Dingwall in charge of the England A side, with the Saints man captaining the development squad to an impressive Autumn win of their own against Australia A earlier this month. Rounding off our picks is recent England camp member Oscar Beard, with Bath’s Max Ojomah the injury covering option.

BACK THREE

Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)

Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)

George Furbank (Northampton Saints)

Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)

Manny Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs)

Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)

INJURY COVER: Gabriel Ibitoye (Bristol Bears)

Rounding off the 36-man squad is the back three, with Northampton Saints expected to continue upon their dominance of England’s outside back channels. The green, black and gold trio of Tommy Freeman, Ollie Sleightholme and George Furbank were ever impressive in the high-scoring win against Japan, as Player of the Match Sleightholme stepped up for the injury vacated Manny Feyi-Waboso.

It will be a tough task for the Chiefs man to take back his place in the starting England XV, should Sleightholme continue upon his stunning run of form as one of England’s top stars of the Autumn. Feyi-Waboso sustained a head injury against Australia in the second round of the Autumn Series, with Sleightholme yo-yoing on and off the bench with three replacement appearances, as both the Exeter wing and Ollie Lawrence required HIA’s against the Wallabies.

We expect both fullback options to again be occupied by George Furbank and Freddie Steward, dependent on whether Borthwick wants to utilise a kick-heavy attack. Steward’s sole cap of the Autumn saw him step up to the Springboks’ kick-chase battle, as the Leicester Tigers man reminded the rugby world why he is considered amongst the very best under the high ball. Furbank started against the other three opponents, and vacated on occassion as Marcus Smith dropped back to 15.

Capping off our back three options is Tom Roebuck, as the exciting Sale Sharks man grabbed his first England try this past weekend. We’ve also opted for Gabriel Ibitoye as England’s injury cover, as the Bristol man had a stunning game for England A at the Twickenham Stoop, and continued upon his phenomenal form in the Premiership.

Editors picks:

• 'Poor Defender, Can't Kick' – Pundit Tears Into Marcus Smith
• Siya and Rachel Kolisi 'reunited' posts go viral on social media
• Fan footage reveals what fan shouted at Eddie Jones during England vs Japan
• Rugby legend David Pocock comes out of retirement

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