Maro Itoje has secured a place in England’s first training group since the summer tour, yet his teammates Courtney Lawes and Joe Marchant will have to earn their recall by proving their form at Sale. Itoje, who was rested for the Nations Championship fixtures against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina, is now part of a 36‑man panel that will kick off its autumn preparations with a three‑day camp starting on Sunday. The Saracens lock is expected to resume his captaincy duties for the opening test against Australia at Allianz Stadium on 8 November, taking over the armband from Jamie George, who stepped in as stand‑in captain during the July matches.
Lawes and Marchant have become eligible for selection after returning from their respective French clubs – Brive for Lawes and Stade Français for Marchant – following the completion of their transfers back to the English Premiership. Their moves across the Channel effectively paused their international careers, and head coach Steve Borthwick has indicated that he wants to see how they reintegrate into the Gallagher Premiership before making any decisions about future England squads. Both players featured in the 2023 World Cup squad, and Lawes in particular is under close scrutiny because of the leadership and experience he could add to an England side that is actively seeking to bolster those qualities.
In addition to Itoje’s recall, the squad list includes a number of other notable names. Highly‑rated prop Fin Baxter, who missed several months due to a series of foot injuries that kept him out since December, is back in contention. Young talents such as Archie McParland and Kepueli Tuipulotu have also earned places.
McParland, a scrum‑half, was originally slated to join the summer tour but suffered a severe leg wound during Northampton’s Premiership final victory over Exeter, which forced him out of that program. His injury now appears to have healed sufficiently for him to compete for a spot in the autumn camp. The half‑back department remains competitive.
Alex Mitchell is still recovering from a hamstring issue, while Ben Spencer is dealing with a shoulder problem. Both are established options for England, but their ongoing rehabilitation with their clubs gives McParland a genuine opportunity to impress Borthwick. Other players are sidelined as well: Max Ojomoh is out with a calf strain, Noah Clauori is nursing a wrist injury, and Tom Roebuck’s selection for Sale on Sunday precludes his involvement in the England camp.
Additionally, Jamie George and Ollie Chessum have joined the squad but are currently receiving treatment for groin and foot ailments respectively. The forward pack listed for the camp includes: Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan‑Dickie (Sale Sharks), Chandler Cunningham‑South (Harlequins), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Ben Earl (Saracens), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), George Kloska (Bristol Bears), George Martin (Saracens), Asher Opoku‑Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby), Kepueli Tuipulotu (Bath Rugby) and Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby). The backline features: Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Tobias Elliott (Saracens), Immanuel Feyi‑Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), George Furbank (Harlequins), Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears), Archie McParland (Northampton Saints), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers) and Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers). England will host Australia at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Sunday, 8 November, for the fourth round of the Nations Championship.
The match will be followed by fixtures against Japan and New Zealand later in the series. Fans can also look forward to the final test of the year, a showdown between New Zealand and South Africa in Baltimore, USA, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Action from 10 p.m.
on Saturday. The inclusion of Itoje signals a desire to blend experience with fresh talent, while the cautious approach to Lawes and Marchant reflects Borthwick’s commitment to ensuring that any returning players are match‑fit and fully integrated into the domestic competition before representing the national side again.
This strategy aims to maintain squad cohesion and competitive edge as England prepares for a demanding autumn schedule against some of the world’s top rugby nations.