Six Nations opinion: Five notable absences from England’s squad

With England just under two weeks away from kicking off their 2026 Six Nations campaign at the Allianz Stadium Twickenham against Wales, head coach Steve Borthwick has announced his 36-man squad.

The 2025 runners-up begin this year’s campaign second favourites according to the bookies despite an 11-match winning streak, with reigning champions France tipped to retain the trophy.

Borthwick’s squad contains a depth of talent across the board, plus a strong-looking injury list including the likes of Ollie Lawrence, Fin Smith, and Fin Baxter, therefore, some players will feel unfortunate to not be selected given their club form.

Sports News Blitz writer Oliver Powell looks at five names that were unlucky to miss out on England’s Six Nations squad.

Noah Caluori (Saracens)

Just a year after Henry Pollock burst onto the international scene, scoring two tries on his England debut against Wales as a 20-year-old, England appear to have another generational talent on their hands in Caluori.

The leading try scorer in the Gallagher PREM this season with 12, including five on debut against Sale Sharks and four in Sarries’ most recent win against Newcastle Red Bulls, Caluori despite his age can feel aggrieved not to have forced his way into Borthwick’s plans.

Not turning 20 until September, Caluori will no doubt see plenty of international action across his career, with his blistering speed and incredible vertical leap showing he’s got all the tools to play at the highest level.

It would come at no surprise to see Caluori as the next man up should England lose an outside back to injury throughout the tournament.

George Hendy (Northampton Saints)

Sticking with the backs, Hendy is a victim of strength in depth as he missed out on the Six Nations squad and a chance at an England debut.

Playing across the back-line for table-toppers Saints, Hendy has chipped in with four tries in both the PREM and Investec Champions Cup, often deputising at full-back for George Furbank, who did make the squad despite injury issues throughout the season.

Saints are the most represented club side in the squad with eight players (plus Fin Smith who would’ve almost certainly made it if it wasn’t for injury), Phil Dowson’s well-oiled backs potentially make up four spots in the starting XV therefore making the decision to omit Hendy even tougher to break up a solid unit.

Furbank, Freddie Steward, and Elliot Daly have ultimately proven too much competition for Hendy to get a look-in despite his successes at Franklin’s Gardens this season.

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Alfie Barbeary (Bath Rugby)

Barbeary felt a natural fit for England to come in at number eight, given Saracens’ Tom Willis was going to be omitted due to his commitments to playing in France for Bordeaux-Begles next season.

A key cog in the dominant Bath side that won the PREM last season, Barbeary brings pure physicality and power to the back of the pack, something England arguably miss to complete the talented back row.

Whilst Ben Earl, Chandler Cunningham-South, and the previously mentioned Pollock are all shoe-ins for Borthwick’s squad, the decision to take 22-year-old Exeter Chiefs’ star Greg Fisilau over the more experienced Barbeary may prove regrettable.

Barbeary, on the back of a Player of the Match performance against Edinburgh in Europe, missed out on the chance to earn his debut despite featuring for the England A’s previously.

Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)

The first name on this list with test experience, having played twice in last year’s Six Nations, Hill misses out on a place amongst the locks in the squad this time round.

A fellow Bath title winner, Hill can cover the second row but predominantly features at six for the West Country side and has gained a reputation for his athleticism which could’ve proven handy as an option for Borthwick.

Former player Dan Cole believes Hill is more than capable of playing international rugby, but may not fit the bill for what Borthwick wants from this England side.

Speaking on his ‘For the Love of Rugby’ podcast, Cole said: “I just don’t think he suits the way England want to play the game at this point in time.

“Not because he isn’t good enough, it’s just England have chosen to go down a different path.”

While Hill remains at The Rec, teammates Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill will be involved in the back row instead for The Roses.

Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)

The final name to make it a Bath hat-trick, Obano misses out on a potential recall for the first time since 2021.

The 31-year-old has been a consistent try-threat as a loosehead and would’ve fancied his chances of replacing the injured Fin Baxter and Asher Opoku-Fordjour as a back-up to Ellis Genge.

Instead Northampton Saints’ uncapped prop Emmanual Iyogun made the cut ahead of Obano, with his performances in the Champions Cup impressing Borthwick enough to be in line for a debut.

While being a member of the PREM-winning side should help your cause, it’s proven not valuable enough to include Obano, Barbeary, and Hill on top of the six Bath men already included.

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