Slade, a consistent presence in the midfield for the past six years, has been left out of the 33-man squad for the upcoming tournament in France. In his place, Joe Marchant, a versatile player who can cover multiple positions including wing and center, has earned his spot after impressing in the recent defeat against Wales. The exclusion of Alex Dombrandt means that Billy Vunipola will be the only specialist number eight in the squad.
Despite not having played since April due to knee surgeries and being overlooked for the entire Championship, Vunipola’s experience has earned him a place. The squad also includes cover for the number eight position with Lewis Ludlam, Ben Earl, and Tom Curry. The back five forwards are well-represented, with rookies Ollie Chessum and George Martin from Leicester also making the cut.
Notable omissions from the squad are wings Jonny May and Joe Cokanasiga, who both featured in the World Cup four years ago. Jamie George will have hookers Theo Dan and Jack Walker as backup options, and Henry Arundell brings an X-factor to the three-quarters.
Three veterans, Courtney Lawes, Dan Cole, and Ben Youngs, will be appearing in their fourth World Cup, adding to the squad’s combined experience of over 1,400 caps. Owen Farrell has been confirmed as captain, with Lawes and Ellis Genge as vice captains.
Borthwick, the coach, acknowledges the unique challenges of World Cups in terms of player demands, squad flexibility, and limited squad places. He believes that the selected squad of 33 is well-equipped to meet these challenges and be competitive in the upcoming tournament. The selection process was difficult due to the high quality of the wider training squad, and some highly talented players have unfortunately missed out on selection.
The team will face tough test matches in August as they continue their preparation for the opening World Cup pool game against a formidable Argentina side.
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