Alfie Barbery will start for England but Ollie Hassell-Collins will be ruled out entirely

Alfie Barbery's name was in the headlines when the 27-man squad was announced. Photo: Patrick Hachfe/Getty Images

Alfie Barberi, Bath No.8, is among 10 uncapped players included in England A's starting XI for Sunday's visit to Portugal.

The team will be led by Barbery's fellow lock Charlie Ewels, who is part of the full England squad along with Harry Randall, Joe Hayes, Jamie Blamire and Tom Pearson. The former trio, along with fellow England starting XV Max Ojomo and Will Muir, have moved up to the A team after training with Steve Borthwick's senior team last week, while Ojomo's center partner Oscar Beard was included in Borthwick's original Six Nations squad in the past Notable omissions from the A's squad include forward duo Ollie Sleightholme and Ollie Hassell-Collins, the latter of whom will be selected for Wales in February 2026 unless he makes further appearances for England. , along with Saracens striker Nick Isikwe.

Barberi was joined in the back row by highly-rated flank duo Pearson and Guy Pepper, while Ewels was partnered in the second row by 23-year-old Rusiate Tuima. Harlequins' Fin Baxter joins Blamire and Hayes in the front row.

Naming his senior squad for this year's Six Nations, Borthwick admitted he rated Barbery «very highly» but did not select number 8 due to for a ban for a high tackle in the club against Racing 92 at the beginning of the year.< /p>

«I told him that,» the England manager said last month. “We met a few weeks ago in a health food cafe in Bath. We had a good chat. I spoke to him yesterday and we remain in regular contact. Is the disciplinary hearing a factor [in Barberi not being selected for the senior team]? Yes, there is no doubt about it, because I want certainty. Do I think he will play for England in the near future? Yes.”

The squad, which assembled at Loughborough University on Tuesday ahead of the match against Portugal at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, was selected by head coach George Skivington, attack coach Sam Vesty and defense coach Dom Walduc in consultation with Borthwick and RFU chief executive of rugby Conor. O'Shi.

The choice has a youthful touch. The average age of a starting quarterback is 24, and Ewels, at 28, is the oldest behind Muir. New Zealand-born Josh Iosefa-Scott is the second-youngest at 27 and if the Exeter prop comes off the bench he will be snatched up by England given the A team are considered a qualifying team.

Among those who replaced the prostitute and slacker, Sam Riley and Tarek Haffar are 22 years old; Lock Ben Bamber is 23; defender Greg Fisilau is 20 and center Oliver Hartley is 22.

Portugal will be very different from the team that wowed spectators at the World Cup, but its best players will be in the game. for French clubs this weekend.