Theo Dan is an explosive medium and a true wildcard. Credit: Getty Images/David Rogers
England manager Steve Borthwick has named five no-limit players in his World Cup training squad — and they're not there to fill the ranks.
Val Rapava-Raskin, Theo Dan, Tom Pearson, Tom Willis and Kadan Murphy were all included in Borthwick's original roster of 41 (five of whom remain in injury rehab).
Bortwick's team boasts 1,500 test games – Johnny May and two veteran midfielders, Danny Kare and Ben Youngs add to that figure — but it's the rookies who can help inform us about his approach to the tournament.
Val Rapava-Raskin: Strengthening the scrum and breaking the stall
Gloucester ( reference element)
Val Rapava-Raskin, a native of Tbilisi, had to patiently wait for his chance. Photo: Getty Images/David Rogers. Premier League level not that he was counting chickens. He participated in the 2019 preparation before dropping out shortly before the tournament.
Mako Vunipola, who was eliminated from the Premier League final due to back problems, remains on the rehabilitation list — he is connected with the trial, but cannot fully train. Ellis Genge and Joe Marler, the former of Borthwick's leaders and the latter obviously focused on his first match for England since the 2022 Six Nations, are a formidable duo. Bevan Rodd is dynamic and resourceful.
Tbilisi-born Rapava-Raskin has two strengths: a nous from set pieces and aggressive breakout defense. England, which bears the scars of the 2019 decider against South Africa, will find use for both.
Theo Dan: another explosive vehicle and real wildcard
Saracens (prostitute)
Theo Dan could be a great bolter in the Rugby World Cup. Photo: Andrew Baker
Jamie George, Tom Woolstencroft, Capeli Pifeleti, Ethan Lewis: It was a jam of four hookers in Saracens that started last season. Dan, on loan with Ampthill in the championship, was at the bottom of the fifth pick.
Joining the club's academy as a center before mastering the rules of the first row down the pyramid at the Old Allenians and then at Bishop's Stortford, he had to bide his time before a phenomenal breakthrough occurred.
Dan, now 22, managed to end the 2022-2023 campaign with the strongest record. He replaced George, a valuable mentor, in the 10th minute of the Premier League final against the Sale Sharks. His shots were accurate, he held and picked up tenaciously and even scored 50-22 to help replay a tight game.
Borthwick had probed Dan before, after Six Nations. But that day would have served the newcomer's cause. Both of his parents were born and raised in Romania and they were in contact, but England seems keen to restrict him first.
Dan covered the back row for the Saracens, which is indicative of his mobility, giving his choice the same feeling like Jack Singleton's participation in 2019. Along with George and Jamie Blamire, he is one of three prostitutes at 41, and Jack Walker is part of a rehab group. Luke Cowan-Dickey is out with a shoulder injury.
Dan, sharp and explosive on the run, will have the opportunity to impress, and now he must go through the warm-up. Jo Grey, a former Harlequin and Saracen prostitute, is also a specialist throwing coach. The other direction will be melee, and George is clearly relying on George, but Dan can be an exciting bolter.
Tom Pearson: size and skill for a test arena
Northampton Saints/London Irish (back row)
Tom Pearson impressed Borthwick at Pennyhill Park. Photo: Getty Images/Dan Mullan
There were hints. Just days after the first camp at Pennyhill Park, Borthwick was quick to praise Pearson's WattBike record. The England manager urged the players to be fit and shoot. Pearson clearly did it.
Sometimes it's worth thinking about how obnoxious a player should be. Over the past two Premier League seasons with the Irish, Pearson has proven to be very difficult to contain. Swift and ruthless, he is imposing as well as agile and skilled. He unloads well in wide channels and has improved his shackling to become a real nuisance. Northampton Saints has a gem.
After a fantastic performance by his winger against the Saracens just before Christmas, Declan Kidney understated Pearson as a «fair player». One can imagine that Borthwick recognized a similar mindset in the camp.
In a conversation with Telegraph Sport two months ago, Pearson suggested that he was ready to move into the position of a blind winger and take on further responsibility as a lineman's jumper. exit.
In 2019, the England squad of Tom Curry, Sam Underhill and Billy Vunipole only came together during warm-up matches. Curry and Underhill continue to argue, as do Jack Willis, Lewis Ludlum and Ben Earl. The competition will be tough. But Pearson looks physically fit for Test matches and is capable of breaking the pecking order.
Tom Willis: supplanting Mercer as Billy Vunipola's second-in-command
Bordeaux/Saracens (back row)
Tom Willis may get his chance to shine if Billy Vunipola fails to recover from surgery in time. Photo: Getty Images/Romain Perrocheau
Although colleagues such as Alfie Barbiri and his older brother often created more engaging moments, Willis Jr. was one of Wasp's most consistent and effective men before the club took over.
After that incident. .. Having suffered a painful failure, Tom jumped over the English Channel and joined Bordeaux. They loved him there. He took on a huge burden and helped Bordeaux reach the semi-finals of the Top 14, where La Rochelle won.
Meanwhile, the Saracens signed Willis for the following season. It's easy to imagine him replacing Billy Vunipola in the next 12 months. Ironically, at this stage, Willis seems to be something of a safety net in case Billy Vunipola fails to recover from his knee surgery. This does not detract from its potential, because it has a lot to offer.
An agile handler, Willis is a burly and well-balanced runner and probably more suited to heavy traffic than Zach Mercer, whom he seems to have edged out. He also accumulates a huge amount of tackle and, like Brother Jack, loves to jump. In short, it is felt that his speed of work will impress Borthwick and Aled Walters in the coming weeks. How, who knows?
Skillful line-out, he could complement a couple of mobile flankers — choose any two of Pearson, Ludlum, Underhill, Curry and Jack Willis. Truly, the shaking of the back rows is mesmerizing.
Kadan Merli: Rogue wing to improve England's phase play
Harlequins (wing)
After the last year or so of changing teams now and again, Murley seems to have calmed down. England's internal video captured the Harlequins wing, the Premier League's top scorer in 2022-23, blasting through colleagues during training games.
The 23-year-old has been hailed as a fussy, rowdy cameraman who could fill the role of Jack Nowell. Merli is definitely short and strong, and he looked decent in aerial skirmishes. It would be foolish to lose sight of his link game as well. He roams the field looking for the Harlequins and Richard Wigglesworth will encourage him to do the same.
Even after Ollie Hassel-Collins and the now eliminated Tommy Freeman, the three-back green players have opportunity to get to France. Henry Arundell and Joe Kokanashiga, who moved to Japan but have since played on the fringes, remain with Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly, Max Malins, Johnny May and Freddie Steward.
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