Charlie Elliott: Analysing England’s 33-man training squad for Summer Tour to Argentina & USA

Steve Borthwick announced a 33-man training squad for a two-day England camp, ahead of the summer tour to Argentina. 

While it is not a final squad by any means, it does provide a decent indication of who may be picked to go to the Americas. 

14 uncapped players were selected, with Bath and Northampton Saints not being represented due to their European finals this weekend. 

Here, Charlie Elliott looks at what Borthwick has said about a few of the selections and looks at some of the key talking points surrounding the tour. 

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Form being rewarded 

Sometimes, past England squads have been accused of picking players based on their name and reputation alone, with in-form players who perhaps lack Test experience sometimes being left out. 

This training squad has shown that Premiership form has been hugely considered, no more so than in Emeka Ilione’s selection. 

Speaking on the Leicester Tigers back row and why he has been picked, Borthwick said, “His carry and the power he’s brought to the carry has been very good. 

“But in particular, I think the contest of the breakdown. His jackalling skills.

“And if you look at what emerged for England over the last period of time in the Six Nations, especially, was the strength of the team had from a jackalling perspective.  

“I think when we start looking at the back row I’m selecting, we start looking at how test rugby is different in some ways to Premiership rugby particularly around the contact area, and the level of contest, so having lots of good jackallers is an important aspect, and that’s what really stood out to me.” 

Borthwick went on to compare this tour to the last one to Argentina in 2017, where plenty of players emerged to later be a part of the 2019 World Cup final squad.  

He said, “The example that you’d use would be 2017. Players emerged in that series against Argentina, really staked their claim then two years out from a World Cup and became really important, influential players for England at that 2019 World Cup. 

“I have no doubt that there are going to be players who emerge this summer who will stake their claim and say: ‘I want to be part of that team in 2027.’ I’m looking forward to seeing that, the enthusiasm, the energy and excitement they bring.” 

Dilemma in the centres 

The centre position is arguably the weakest that England has currently, with Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade being the two starters. 

Lawrence is currently injured, and Slade is out of form, so there is definitely a potential opening should anyone impress this summer. 

Luke Northmore, Oscar Beard, Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, Seb Atkinson and Slade himself are the five who have been selected so far. 

It is worth noting that Max Ojomoh and Fraser Dingwall from Bath and Saints could well be in the final squad. 

Ma’asi-White and Atkinson look to be the two highest up in the pecking order of this squad, with both having outstanding seasons for Sale Sharks and Gloucester. 

The Sale youngster was on loan at Championship side Caldy as recently as December 2024, so has had a meteoric rise in the past few months. 

Those at the Salford Community Stadium know all about his quality though, having been personally tutored by legendary player and family friend Manu Tuilagi when he was still at the club. 

There is a great opportunity for all involved to outplay Slade in the same environment, which could kickstart consistent selections into the England squad. 

Feyi-Waboso back 

The most notable addition to the training camp squad was Exeter Chiefs winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who has been out with a shoulder injury since December. 

Someone who would have been in serious contention for the British and Irish Lions, if not for injury, will be a huge boost to the squad if he is to tour with England. 

Speaking about his return, Borthwick said on Tuesday, “He looks really good. The medical teams are really pleased with his recovery.

“You get a sense of the player of how he’s feeling, and there was a really positive energy off Manny today. The number of times I had to step in and pull him back because he wanted to do more. I had to step in and stop that a number of times. 

“I had to go and stand on his wing and remind him. That’s a positive sign of where Manny is at. He’s a world-class player. We’ve got some great competition on the wings now. Look at the way Tom Roebuck has been playing. Cadan Murley. Delighted to see Manny out there today.” 

Overall thoughts 

I think that this tour as a whole will be a great opportunity to develop young talent and give them a real platform to impress at Test level.  

This crop of young players has often been referred to as a ‘Golden generation’, and now is the time for them to step up and prove that tag is warranted. 

14 uncapped players being selected so far is hugely positive, and hopefully plenty of them will be given ample game time in Argentina. 

While Lions selected players won’t have to worry too much about losing their places, there are a few others who may be looking over their shoulder worryingly. Competition can only be a good thing, and as many players as possible should be given a chance this summer. 

Experience being there will also provide a good environment for the youngsters to learn from, and the squad picked for this training camp is a very positive indication of what fans can expect.