With the season rapidly reaching its conclusion, the thoughts of many will begin to shift towards the England summer tour.
Steve Borthwick’s side have recaptured the interest of fans following two improved performances at the end of the Six Nations, including the famous win over Ireland, and this will set them up nicely for the tour of Japan and New Zealand.
England’s ending to the Six Nations saw plenty of players cement their spots in the starting 15, with the likes of Ben Earl, Tommy Freeman and George Furbank all impressing.
Whilst there are some players already nailed onto start, there will be some fresh faces fighting to earn their spots in Borthwick’s plans; and with that in mind we’ve pooled together some potential bolters for England’s summer tour.
Four potential bolters to make the England squad for summer tour
Will Evans
The Quins flanker has quietly been going about his business for some time now, but his performance against Glasgow brought him into the limelight. His defensive efforts proved vital in Quins’ victory, but he’s been doing this all season. He leads the turnover stats in both the Premiership and the Champions Cup respectively, with an astonishing 27 across both competitions (18 in the Prem, 9 in Europe). He also sits second in the Premiership tackle stats with 189 so far this season. England are blessed with back-rowers, but Steve Borthwick should be keeping Evans in his thoughts.
Curtis Langdon
The Northampton Saints hooker has probably been the best signing this season, and his form has certainly warranted a spot in the England set-up this summer. He is a destructive ball-carrier and is incredibly mobile; but this weekend his defensive efforts came to the fore. He made 19 tackles in just 57 minutes, the most of any Saints player. His lineout throwing is also great, hitting 91% of his throws in the Premiership so far. He already has two England caps to his name, but he will be hoping to add to that this summer.
Ollie Sleightholme
The Saints winger has really come of age this season, and this could earn him a spot in the England squad. He leads the Premiership try-scoring charts this season with 10 scores, but he also possesses true power and pace. He also boasts a great ability to make meters from nowhere, which has helped him become Saints’ primary attacking weapon. He was involved with the England A squad for their game against Portugal, but he could be in line for a call-up to the senior squad this summer.
Greg Fisilau
Another player who was involved with the England A side, Greg Fisilau could also earn a spot in the senior England set-up this summer. He is one of a number of youngsters making waves in this Exeter Chiefs squad, but he has probably been one of their best. He gets through plenty of work on both sides of the ball, but his point of difference is his ability to consistently get Exeter over the gainline; making 57 gainline carries this season. He impressed in the England A fixture too, and if he carries on the way he is he could be wearing a red rose again this summer.
