Steve Borthwick has named a 33-man squad to prepare for England’s summer internationals

12:02, 20 May 2025Updated 12:04, 20 May 2025

Louis Schreuder of Bath kicks under pressure from Joe Batley of Bristol Bears (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Three Bristol Bears players have been selected by England head coach Steve Borthwick for a two-day training camp this week ahead of four international games to come this summer.

An England XV will take on a France XV at Allianz Stadium on June 21 before a three-Test summer tour to Argentina, who they will play twice, with a single fixture in Washington DC against the United States of America.

The squad that travels to Argentina and the USA could end up looking significantly different from the training squad announced today, with no players from either Northampton Saints and Bath Rugby involved in the camp this week due to the two clubs’ involvement in the European club finals this weekend. Bath face Lyon on Friday night in the Challenge Cup final and then Northampton Saints take on Bordeaux-Begles in the big show in Cardiff on Saturday in the Champions Cup.

England also have 13 players unavailable this summer having been selected on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, which will create significant opportunities for the next players off the taxi rank. Bristol star Ellis Genge is of course amongst that baker’s dozen.

Amongst those players to be given an opportunity to impress the national coaches from Bristol are uncapped forward duo Joe Batley and Gabriel Oghre, while 13-cap international Harry Randall is one of the more familiar faces in the squad that met up at Pennyhill Park today.

Lock Batley was called up for England A duty back in the Autumn ahead of facing Australia A, but while he was in camp with the national team it was discovered he had a fracture in his leg from a knock suffered against the Wallabies development team when they played the Bears at Ashton Gate. With England captain Maro Itoje and regular Ollie Chessum both away with the Lions this summer, Borthwick is looking to cast his net for second row talent.

Speaking about his international ambitions last week, Batley said: “I have made no secret of the fact my dreams and ambitions are to play for England, if I can play well for Bristol then who knows what can happen. I am not getting any younger, I am 28 not, so I am not naïve and I understand this is my chance. I am happy that I am back fit and I am just want to make sure I perform and show the best version of myself.”

Oghre has played for England A this year and even toured Australia with the senior national team previously, but failed to make a matchday squad. He comes into the mix to compete with Saracens duo Jamie George and Theo Dan.

There will be disappointment in the Bears camp that young tighthead prop George Kloska has not been named in this squad with the club receiving high praise of the academy product from his time with England A, although he faces stiff opposition from the likes of rising stars Afolabi Fasogbon and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.

England’s 33-player training squad

Forwards:

Joe Batley ( Bristol Bears ), Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Richard Capstick ( Exeter Chiefs), Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), Gabriel Oghre (Bristol Bears), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Tom Willis (Saracens),

Backs:

Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Oscar Beard (Harlequins), Joe Carpenter (Sale Sharks), Tobias Elliott (Saracens), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso ( Exeter Chiefs ), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Rekeiti Ma’asi-White (Sale Sharks), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Luke Northmore (Harlequins), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)

Rehabilitation: Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins) and George Martin (Leicester Tigers)