Six Nations: England’s Steve Borthwick admits prop injury crisis is ‘unfortunate and disruptive’ but side will ‘attack tournament’ | Rugby Union News

England head coach Steve Borthwick has conceded to Sky Sports his squad’s prop injury crisis is “unfortunate and disruptive” but says they will “attack the tournament” in search of a first Six Nations title since 2020.

With long-serving tighthead prop Dan Cole having retired at the end of last season – playing Tests in November 2024 before being fazed out during last year’s championship – injuries have seen England lose Will Stuart (Achilles) and Asher Opoku-Fordjour (shoulder) for the entirety of the tournament on that side of the scrum.

On the loosehead side there is a notable injury too, with Harlequins prop Fin Baxter (calf) currently out.

The result has seen Borthwick name an England Six Nations squad with two uncapped props in 20-year-old Bath tighthead Vilikesa Sela and 25-year-old Northampton loosehead Emmanuel Iyogun.

In addition, 33-year-old Northampton tighthead Trevor Davison has also made the cut despite only holding three caps and featuring for the first time in four years in a Test against the USA in the summer.

With the scrum having taken on increased significance in line with law changes producing more kick-to-compete tactics, Borthwick is aware it’s far from ideal: “Yes, we’ve had a couple of bumps with props that are unavailable unfortunately, but what that does is it creates opportunity for others.

“We’ve had the depth charts planned. Our scrum coach Tom Harrison focuses very much with those front-row forwards, and he’s been really clear on who the next player in is.

“So whilst we didn’t necessarily want that disruption and changing things with new players, we’re also ready for it.

“I think we have a fantastic blend of experienced senior internationals. The squad was in a room and I talked about how many Six Nations games have been played, and there was probably 500 Six Nations games amongst the people in the room. It’s fantastic.

“And then we’ve got this incredibly talented young group of players that are embracing Test rugby and are really incredibly ambitious.”

Since suffering defeat to Ireland in Dublin at the beginning of the 2025 Six Nations, Borthwick’s side have won 11 Tests in a row, seeing off the likes of France, New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham.

As such, the 46-year-old cut a determined and positive figure when discussing the campaign ahead.

“I think the team’s evolved. That first phase of being in the role was with a World Cup imminently upon us, and building a squad that was ready to take that World Cup on.

“Then there was a transition afterwards where we transitioned a lot. From the style of play, the age-profile, the personnel within the squad.

“I think this team is really developing, and I think everybody can see it.

“I’m also really excited by the way people are talking about the team. The way people are talking so positively and feel part of this group on the journey. The players feel so connected with the supporters.

“So coming to the start of this tournament, we’re clear on what we want to achieve by the end of it. It’s going to come down to how we start.

“That the players come in ready to play Test rugby, with an attitude to attack the tournament and play brave, big and fast.

“They have to be ready to train at the intensity we need to be able to bring those performances onto the grass. I sense a group that is hungry to development and hungry to win every Test match we go into.”

‘Fisilau is a player with phenomenal work-rate’

In addition to Sela and Iyogun, a third uncapped player was also named in England’s 36-player squad on Friday: Exeter Chiefs No 8 Greg Fisilau.

The 22-year-old has impressed consistently for Exeter and Borthwick offered high praise.

“He has phenomenal work-rate. When you watch any sport and you see a player who seems to have an engine that just keeps going and he’s there involved again and again, that’s Greg.

“That’s the way he’s been playing for Exeter, and Exeter have been playing so well this season.

“He’s earned this call-up and is an exceptional carrier. He carries in traffic, he carries wide and in space, he has excellent footwork and leg-drive post-contact.

“Part of why the England squad will push on is you’ve got hungry young players pushing, which is going to drive the standards throughout the whole squad.”

England’s 36-player squad for 2026 Six Nations

Forwards (20): Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 30 caps), Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 14 caps), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 53 caps), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 20 caps), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 65 caps), Theo Dan (Saracens, 20 caps), Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints, 3 caps), Ben Earl (Saracens, 46 caps), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 75 caps), Jamie George (Saracens, 105 caps), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps), Maro Itoje (Saracens, 97 caps – captain), Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints, uncapped), Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby, 7 caps), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints, 5 caps), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 10 caps), Vilikesa Sela (Bath Rugby, uncapped), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 45 caps).

Backs (16): Henry Arundell (Bath Rugby, 11 caps), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby, 2 caps), Elliot Daly (Saracens, 74 caps), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, 7 caps), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs, 13 caps), George Ford (Sale Sharks, 105 caps), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 22 caps), George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 14 caps), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 27 caps), Cadan Murley (Harlequins, 4 caps) , Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby, 2 caps), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 74 caps), Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 46 caps), Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby, 14 caps), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 41 caps), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps).

England’s 2026 Six Nations fixtures

Saturday February 7

Saturday February 14

Saturday February 21

Saturday March 7

Saturday March 14