Bold truth: under Steve Borthwick, five England players look unlikely to feature again for the national team.
- Tom Willis
Willis’s case is the clearest of the lot. After choosing to move abroad, he effectively removed himself from England’s selection map under RFU policy. Borthwick made it explicit: England will invest time in players who are part of the 2027 World Cup project—and Willis isn’t in that plan. End of discussion.
In Test rugby, availability and pathing through the squad matter far more than current form. Once a player exits the strategic pathway, turning back is rare. For Willis, the door isn’t merely cracked—it’s shut.
- Zach Mercer
Few England narratives have been as maddening as Mercer’s. A club-level standout, Mercer has repeatedly sat outside England’s official plans. After being told he wasn’t in Borthwick’s long-term vision, he publicly said he felt “done” with England and needed time away for his mental health. He eventually returned to France, and under present selection rules that move makes a recall even less likely.
The bottom line: Mercer doesn’t fit the No. 8 profile Borthwick seems to prefer—defensively stout, collision-heavy. With policy constraints and tactical preferences both working against him, Mercer’s England chapter appears finished.
Continues on page three at https://www.ruck.co.uk/all-over-five-players-who-wont-play-for-england-again-under-steve-borthwick/3
