Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs and Jonny May have all announced their decisions to retire from international rugby following the 2023 Rugby World Cup and other England players could soon follow; We try to pick the starting XV which will take to the field for the 2027 tournament in Australia
Tuesday 31 October 2023 15:44, UK
The 2023 Rugby World Cup is over, and for England it means a number of their stalwarts will have featured in their last global gathering.
Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs and Jonny May have already announced their retirements from international rugby, and others like Manu Tuilagi, Joe Marler and Dan Cole may not be playing for much longer either.
With that in mind, we take a gaze into our crystal ball and try to imagine what England's starting XV will look like at the next World Cup in Australia in 2027…
15. Freddie Steward
Experiments with Marcus Smith at full-back aside, the Leicester Tigers player's commanding display in the narrow semi-final defeat to South Africa underlined why he has made this spot in the England team his own since his debut in 2021.
At 22, Steward already has 29 Test caps to his name and should once again be part of the team in Australia in four years' time, bringing all the attributes a modern-day 15 needs with his handling skills, burst of pace, and physical presence.
14. Max Malins
The Bristol Bears back is equally comfortable playing at full-back but seems to have been tabbed as a winger as far as his international future goes and has been on the fringes of being a regular starter with 21 caps to his name already.
Malins was part of England's Rugby World Cup squad in France and with Gloucester's May set to call time on his international career sooner rather than later, he will soon have the opportunity to establish himself as the go-to player on the right wing.
13. Will Joseph
Joe Marchant's impending move to Stade Francais means he will become ineligible for England selection but, barring any changes in RFU policy or a return to these shores for the 27-year-old, that could open the door for another Harlequins player.
Joseph, the younger brother of ex-England centre Jonathan Joseph, has come through the England age groups and already has one cap to his name as a late replacement in the win over Australia in Brisbane last year. At just 21, he has plenty of time to force his way into the reckoning.
12. Ollie Lawrence
Lawrence endured something of an up and down start to his Test career during Eddie Jones' tenure, but impressed enough to stay in Steve Borthwick's plans and has an opportunity to nail down the No 12 shirt if Manu Tuilagi's international career comes to an end soon.
The 24-year-old is another player who has come through the England age-group set-up and made a big impression for Worcester Warriors in the Gallagher Premiership before their financial collapse, but quickly secured a move to Bath. He already has 18 Test caps to his name as well.
11. Henry Arundell
A try-scorer with his first touch as a replacement in Test rugby against Australia in 2022 plus grabbing an England record-equalling five tries against Chile in Pool D of this World Cup are just some of the highlights of the winger's international career so far.
At the age of 20, Arundell still has plenty of time to forge a stellar career and if he continues his upward trajectory the former London Irish winger is likely to be assured of one of England's wing berths for many years to come.
10. Marcus Smith
With current captain Owen Farrell and George Ford coming towards the end of their careers, there will be a time when England have to look to the future and decide who will be the long-term successor at No 10.
Despite dalliances with playing him at full-back in the most recent World Cup, it seems unfathomable that Smith's long-term future is not in the halves. If England can harness the Harlequins player's undoubted talent, then he should be the one to pull the strings in Australia in 2027.
9. Jack van Poortvliet
A toss-up between him and Alex Mitchell, who was England's go-to scrum-half during the World Cup when Van Poortvliet was ruled out due to an ankle injury, but the Leicester Tigers No 9 had seemingly been Borthwick's first choice up to that point.
The 22-year-old already has 14 Test caps to his name and if he continues on his current trajectory when he returns from injury then there is no reason to think he could not make the position in the national team his own.
1. Ellis Genge (captain)
Genge has long been groomed to take over the captaincy when Farrell eventually calls time on his career, and he may finally have his chance to do that when the next World Cup rolls around.
The Bristolian has long been a cornerstone of England's pack thanks to his ability in the loose as well as at the scrum, winning 55 caps so far, and will still only be 32 at the next global gathering.
2. Theo Dan
One of the next generation who came to the fore in the build-up to and during the World Cup in France, the 22-year-old looks to have firmly established himself as England's second-choice hooker behind Saracens team-mate Jamie George.
It is feasible he will go on to take over from George for both club and country in the No 2 shirt, and with the latter now 33 it may happen sooner rather than later for the former England U18 and U20 international.
3. Kyle Sinckler
Another player who is a firmly established member of the England front row, there is no reason to think Sinckler will not continue to form part of a hard-nosed prop pairing with Genge in Australia in four years' time.
Sinckler has amassed 66 caps so far in his international career and although he is 30, he could still form part of the team in four years' time and provide some valuable experience in the pack.
4. Ollie Chessum
Noted for his presence at the line-out and strong ball-carrying ability, Chessum has already become a first choice in the second row since making his England debut as a replacement against Italy in the Six Nations last year.
He is someone England head coach Borthwick has worked closely with at Leicester Tigers too, being part of their Premiership-winning team in 2022, and at 23 has plenty of time to keep developing his skillset.
5. Maro Itoje
Itoje seems to have been part of the England second row forever, but at 29 the two-time British and Irish Lions tourist still has an opportunity to play in at least one more World Cup for the national team.
Another player who has a presence at the line-out and is equally adept when it comes to both attacking and defending, Itoje will be playing in his third World Cup if he makes the team for Australia and will bring invaluable experience too.
6. Tom Curry
The fact he already has a half-century of caps to his name at the age of 25 shows just how Curry has become a key member of the England team since making his international debut in 2017 and there is no reason to think that will not continue into 2027.
Adept at playing on either flank, along with occasionally being deployed at No 8, the Sale Sharks back row should continue in that role as a menace to opponents for many years to come.
7. Jack Willis
A neck injury prematurely ended Willis' participation in the World Cup in France, but he should make a return to the England fold once he has recovered and be able to add to the 13 international caps he already has to his name.
The 26-year-old has made a name for himself in France too after helping Toulouse to the 2023 Top 14 title, joining them following the collapse of Wasps midway through last season, and is sure to be back in the reckoning once he has fully recovered.
8. Alfie Barbeary
Admittedly this is something of wild-card selection, particularly given the form Ben Earl has shown for England recently, but there is always at least one bolter and Barbeary has shown plenty of signs he could be a devastating international No 8 after switching from playing at hooker earlier in his career.
Injury has disrupted his career and left him still waiting for his Test debut, but if the 23-year-old Bath back row can overcome those issues and start showing the sort of form he was producing in a Wasps shirt then the former England U18 and U20 international can force his way into the reckoning again.
