With the Red Roses sealing their Women’s Rugby World Cup triumph last Saturday, attention now turns to the men and their own bid for World Cup Glory.

By Jack Humphreys on RUCK Debut

The next Men’s Rugby World Cup is exactly two years away in Australia, and after the Lions successful tour in the summer, the leading England players will be eyeing up a strong return to the ‘land down under’

As the rugby landscape passes a significant milestone upon the count-down to Rugby World Cup 2027, it’s time once again for us here at RUCK to peer into the crystal ball, and predict whom we expect to see on the plane, heading down to the land of the Wallabies.

In this acticle, we cast our minds some two years into the future and lay down our picks on who head coach Steve Borthwick will select for his England side, that will embark upon the ultimate mission of being crowned World Champions.

PREDICTION: ENGLAND’S 2027 RUGBY WORLD CUP SQUAD

Props (6)

Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks)
Ellis Genge (VC) (Bristol Bears)
Will Stuart (Bath)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Gloucester)
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)

In recent years, the front row has become one of England’s biggest strengths. The two Lions, Ellis Genge and Will Stuart, select themselves, but with the retirements of Joe Marler and Dan Cole, the door has opened for the next generation to take centre stage.

The two Sale Sharks props, Bevan Rodd and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, were consistently excellent last season and look on track for breakout campaigns. The same can be said for Fin Baxter and Joe Heyes, who have been on the fringes of recent England squads but showed their class on the tour of Argentina and the US over the summer.

Hookers (3)

Theo Dan (Saracens)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)
Jamie George (Saracens)

Jamie George has made the number two shirt his own over the last decade, but by 2027, his role will be more about leadership within the camp. George brings a wealth of experience from multiple Six Nations campaigns, Lions tours, and World Cups, making him the perfect mentor for the younger players. Most of the playing duties will fall to long-time heir apparent Theo Dan, who has steadily developed into one of the Premiership’s most complete hookers. Dan’s dynamic ball-carrying, accurate throwing, and work at the breakdown make him a key part of England’s forward platform.

Luke Cowan-Dickie remains the perfect finisher, capable of coming off the bench to maintain intensity in the closing stages of matches. The 2025 Lions tourist has a subtle calmness under pressure, reliability in throwing, and tireless work rate around the field give England a tactical edge in tight encounters. With this trio, England will have both continuity and the spark of youth at the crucial hooker position.

Locks (4)

Maro Itoje (C) (Saracens)
Ollie Chesum (Leicester Tigers)
Charlie Ewels (Bath)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)

At lock, Maro Itoje strolls in as captain alongside his fellow Lion Ollie Chesum, no debate there. The other two spots are slightly more contentious. Chandler Cunningham-South was brilliant for Quins last year and he’ll only improve over the next two, a one-man wrecking crew coming off the bench, the last person tired defenders want to see in the final 20 minutes.

The final spot goes to the quietly brilliant Charlie Ewels, who has been the spine in Bath’s dominant pack during their recent resurgence. Ewels and Itoje were second-row partners in England’s triumphant U20 World Cup team in 2014, beating South Africa in the final, a feat every England fan will be praying to repeat.

Back rows (7)

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Sam Underhill (Bath)
Ted Hill (Bath)
Guy Pepper (Bath)
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers)

The back row is England’s most competitive position and the most agonising to select; some world-class players won’t make it on the plane. Tom Curry, Ben Earl, and Henry Pollock are shoe-ins. Curry is one of the world’s best jacklers, Earl is brilliant with the ball in hand, and Pollock has the potential to be one of the world’s best.

Earl and Pollock’s hands and pace also make them viable options to slot into the centres if required. Many in Somerset and Newcastle view Guy Pepper alongside Henry Pollock as a potent combination; he is lethal at the breakdown and leads the Premiership in turnovers this season.

Sam Underhill is arguably England’s best tackler and seems to excel against southern hemisphere opposition, a very useful trait at a World Cup. Ted Hill has been brilliant since joining Bath from Worcester, and his ability to slot into the second row when required is useful for tournaments.

Emeka Ilione is showing great potential at Leicester; he’s a threat at the breakdown and can carry the ball. Expect an England debut in the next two years. Together, this group has the potential to be the best back row in the world.

CONTINUES ON PAGE TWO

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