Six England stars who could switch nations for the 2027 Rugby World Cup
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World Rugby's latest eligibility shake-up has thrown open the door for several England internationals to swap allegiances ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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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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