England will kick off their Six Nations campaign without their inspirational captain, Maro Itoje, on Saturday against Wales. The 2025 British and Irish Lions captain has been named on the bench for his first minute of Six Nations rugby in nearly seven years after missing the start of England's preparations to attend his mother Florence's funeral in Nigeria.
Itoje has been an ever-present for England in the Six Nations since the start of the 2020 tournament, playing all 80 minutes in 30 successive matches. However, he will not be leading from the front against Wales at Twickenham as Jamie George takes charge. Itoje's Saracens teammate and predecessor as England captain Jamie George is set to lead the team for the first time.
Borthwick expects big things from Itoje when he comes off the bench. He predicts that the crowd will roar in appreciation of Itoje and his family after a difficult personal time. Borthwick also praises the relationships within the squad, stating they are now "building a connection" with one another. He believes this camaraderie is vital to England's success.
On team selection, Northampton duo Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman will start in midfield. Borthwick hopes their backline understanding from the league season will translate into international performance.
Wing Henry Arundell makes his first start since the 2023 World Cup, but Leicester's Freddie Steward remains at full-back alongside Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. England will face a kicking challenge against Wales, and Borthwick expects 50 contestable kicks from the Welsh team.
The matchday squad also includes prop Bevan Rodd and Trevor Davison in place of injured players Will Stuart, Fin Baxter, and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, alongside back-rowers Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, and Ben Earl. Half-backs Alex Mitchell and George Ford, along with Tom Curry, complete the 23-man party.
Despite a smaller bench compared to England's last autumn internationals, Borthwick remains optimistic that his team can succeed against Wales.
Itoje has been an ever-present for England in the Six Nations since the start of the 2020 tournament, playing all 80 minutes in 30 successive matches. However, he will not be leading from the front against Wales at Twickenham as Jamie George takes charge. Itoje's Saracens teammate and predecessor as England captain Jamie George is set to lead the team for the first time.
Borthwick expects big things from Itoje when he comes off the bench. He predicts that the crowd will roar in appreciation of Itoje and his family after a difficult personal time. Borthwick also praises the relationships within the squad, stating they are now "building a connection" with one another. He believes this camaraderie is vital to England's success.
On team selection, Northampton duo Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman will start in midfield. Borthwick hopes their backline understanding from the league season will translate into international performance.
Wing Henry Arundell makes his first start since the 2023 World Cup, but Leicester's Freddie Steward remains at full-back alongside Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. England will face a kicking challenge against Wales, and Borthwick expects 50 contestable kicks from the Welsh team.
The matchday squad also includes prop Bevan Rodd and Trevor Davison in place of injured players Will Stuart, Fin Baxter, and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, alongside back-rowers Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, and Ben Earl. Half-backs Alex Mitchell and George Ford, along with Tom Curry, complete the 23-man party.
Despite a smaller bench compared to England's last autumn internationals, Borthwick remains optimistic that his team can succeed against Wales.
i feel bad for him. i hope hed gets a big cheer from the crowd on saturday tho 
anyway, why do we need 50 contestable kicks in rugby? cant they just run with the ball like normal? 
and omg jamaican dude jamie george is leadin england now 
Itoje might not be starting, but Jamie George is leading the pack and he's all about that squad life, right? The bonds between them are fire 
and I mean, Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman making their debut together? Perfect match-ups. And don't even get me started on Henry Arundell's wing skills - Wales better bring A-game! 
Also, 50 contestable kicks from Wales? Bring it on, England is gonna soak up every single one! 
i also think Borthwick's squad choices are solid, fraser dingwall and tommy freeman seem like good pickups 
fingers crossed for england vs wales on saturday 
i feel bad for maro itoje, missing england's first match of six nations to attend his mum's funeral in nigeria 
. but i think jamie george is gonna lead them well, he knows the game inside out 
. and 50 contestable kicks from wales will be a big test for england's defense 
. i still got faith in fraser dingwall and tommy freeman, they've been playing well for northampton 
. plus, itoji is set to come off the bench and make an impact, we all know his skills are top-notch 
️. lets see how the team performs under george's leadership 
Itoje's back now 
️. It's crazy how personal stuff affects teams 
. Jamie George as captain, not sure about that 
. At least they're trying to build connections within the squad 
. Wales are gonna give them a run for their money 
Itoje's back on the pitch after dealing with family matters, but it's defo not all good news for England fans 
. Still, I'm rooting for Itoje - he'll come off that bench and inspire the lads with his presence 
. Borthwick's got faith in them, and 50 contestable kicks from Wales sounds like a challenge 
... England just need to focus on their own game 
and with freddie steward at fullback, our backline game is lookin solid 
let's get this win 
Itoje is like my spirit animal on the rugby field lol he was literally unstoppable!!! missing him in the lineup feels like a part of me is missing 
... cant believe he had to sit out due to family reasons 
. Anyway, gotta respect Borthwick's optimism 
also, what's up with jamie george leading the team? didn't he just leave as captain of saracens? 
anyway, 50 contestable kicks from wales sounds like a big ask for england... hope they can manage that 
and he had 2 attend her funeral lol thats why he wont be captin England 4 the game vs wales 
. anywayz, i think its great that jamie george is takin over as captin and hes got a good squad behind him 
ben earl & sam underhill r gonna b a big help 2 them 
btw, freddie stewards still lookin sharp at fullback 
. Like, seriously, how hard can it be to play in a big tournament when you're not even leading the team? It's like Borthwick wants him to come off the bench and make some magic happen 
. Anyway, let's just see how this one plays out... I'm gonna put my money on Wales 
, that's tough. But awesome that he's back on the pitch soon! George taking charge for the first time, hope he brings good vibes to the team 
. That kicking challenge better be taken seriously or they'll get roasted 
. The squad looks solid, though - been watching the league games and these guys are on fire