"Time to step up" – 5 England hopefuls for the Summer Tour of Argentina & USA

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The British & Irish Lions tour to Australia is not the only overseas trip taking place in the Summer of 2025. Every member of the Six Nations will be jetting out to far flung rugby destinations, for a three match series against an assortment of exciting opposition.

England will head to Argentina in July for a two-match showdown, before completing a cross-continental trip with a standalone fixture against the United States in Washington DC. Steve Borthwick will be without a litany of his biggest stars for the tour, with his captain Maro Itoje expected to lead plenty of Lions call-ups onward from the England squad.

With such tough contention for places upon Andy Farrell’s squad, some leading names of the England set-up could well miss out, with Marcus Smith among the conversation for a potential high-profile omission. Borthwick would likely hand such high caliber players a break from their England duties, with only a few short months separating them from another tough block of Twickenham Tests in the Autumn Nations Series.

Be it an uncapped bolter with hopes of the spotlight, or an experienced England star gunning for a return to the Test match stage, the Summer tour has long been a proving ground for a nation’s fringe players. The latest round of the Premiership Rugby season showcased an incredible array of candidates for Borthwick’s Buenos Aires-bound brigade, with a freshened feel anticipated for England’s battles with Los Pumas and the American Eagles this Summer.

Here are five England hopefuls who put their names up for a place on the Summer tour, from the latest round of the Premiership.

1. Christian Wade (Gloucester)

It was a historic weekend for Christian Wade, as the Gloucester wing scored the seventh Premiership hat-trick of his career. This accomplishment took place in the Cherry and Whites’ thumping 53-28 win over Bristol Bears, as Wade toppled former England wing Chris Ashton to become the Premiership’s greatest ever hat-trick hero.

Wade returned to the Premiership ahead of the 2024/25 season, following stints in the NFL and at Racing 92, and has been formidable upon his comeback. The 33-year-old has eight tries to his name this season, with Bristol Bears providing the opportune opponent for Wade to score back-to-back hat-tricks. Whilst Wade has enjoyed a storied club career, and tried his hand at American Football, he has never been able to gain traction upon rugby union’s international stage.

Despite his seven competitions for England Sevens, Wade just has one senior 15s Test cap under his belt. Wade’s ‘one and done’ moment saw him play the full 80 minutes against Argentina, upon England’s 2013 Summer Tour to South America. History could well repeat itself some 12 years later, as the door opens back up to Wade to step up to the Test match stage this Summer.

2. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)

One man whom England fans are eager to see make his return to the Test match stage, Henry Pollock has been a firecracker for Northampton Saints this season. The teenage prodigy once again showcased his extraordinary talent with a stunning display of skill against Sale. Pollock executed a sublime kick-and-chase try to score against the Sharks, with the viral clip re-played time and again across social media.

It is staggering to think that the back rower is just 20-years-old, as he plays with the brash confidence and astute expertise of an established Test match star. For the next few months, much like Christian Wade, Pollock finds himself in the ranks of England’s ‘One Cap Wonders’. However, that will likely change come the Summer tour across the Americas, with the expectation that Pollock will earn his first England start.

The England U20s graduate was apart of the immortal class of ’24, who won both the 2024 U20 Six Nations and the U20 World Championships. Pollock has been fast-tracked with a meteoric trajectory into the senior England set-up, much like his elder U20s teammate Chandler Cunningham-South.

Following in the Harlequins’ footsteps just one year later, Pollock made his senior England debut off the bench in Cardiff, as England dismantled Wales in the final round of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations. It was an unforgettable day for the young back row, as he scored two tries during the famous win in the Welsh Capital.

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