England went into 2026 on an 11-match winning streak. They finished the Six Nations in fifth place with their first-ever defeat to Italy sitting on the record books. That swing tells you almost everything about why this group of England rugby players is worth watching this year — a squad with real talent still searching for consistency, under a coach the RFU has publicly backed to get it right before the 2027 World Cup.
Steve Borthwick named Maro Itoje as captain again for 2026, leading a 36-player squad built around a mix of hardened internationals and players who were barely established a year or two ago. Here’s who to keep an eye on as England try to rebuild momentum through the rest of the year.
Maro Itoje: The Captain Carrying the Weight
Itoje captained England throughout a difficult campaign, and how he leads the group through the fallout will shape the next couple of seasons. He was sin-binned in the Italy defeat for illegally slapping the ball out of a maul, a moment that summed up a wider discipline problem across the team in Rome and at Murrayfield.
Itoje remains one of the most decorated players in the squad, and the RFU’s public vote of confidence in Borthwick came with an expectation that senior figures like Itoje help steady the ship. How England respond in the autumn internationals will say a lot about his influence off the field as well as on it.
Fin Smith: The Fly-Half in Possession
Fin Smith started at fly-half in the Italy game and has become one of three genuine contenders for the number 10 shirt, alongside George Ford and Marcus Smith. That competition is a selection headache for Borthwick, but it’s also a sign of depth England haven’t always had at the position.
Smith kicked well through the tournament even as the team around him struggled, and he’s part of the Northampton Saints spine that runs through much of this England squad. Watch how Borthwick rotates his three fly-halves through the year — it’ll tell you a lot about who he trusts with the biggest moments.
Tommy Freeman: Try-Scoring Threat Out Wide
Freeman scored the opening try against Italy, continuing a run of form that’s made him one of England’s most reliable finishers. He’s now a fixture in the back three and can play across multiple positions there, giving Borthwick flexibility when he’s picking a back line.
With 27 caps already banked, Freeman is no longer a newcomer — he’s becoming one of the more experienced players in an England back three that’s had to absorb a lot of change.
Ellis Genge: The Front-Row Enforcer
Genge remains one of the most abrasive and reliable props in world rugby, and England leaned on his experience through a Six Nations campaign that exposed a genuine crisis at the front row. Injuries to Fin Baxter and others meant Borthwick had to call up uncapped props during the tournament, which only underlines how much Genge’s fitness and form matter to this team.
He’s vice-captain material in a pack that needs senior voices, and his set-piece work will be central to England’s attempts to rebuild forward dominance through the rest of the year.
Ben Earl: The Workhorse Back Row
Earl has established himself as one of the most consistent performers in the England back row, someone who covers ground, wins turnover ball, and rarely has a quiet game. He’s kept his place in Borthwick’s enhanced Elite Player Squad through the summer reshuffle in August 2026, alongside Itoje, Genge, Ford, and Tom Curry — a clear signal of where the coach’s trust currently sits.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso: Back from Injury, Ready to Impact
Feyi-Waboso missed the 2025 Six Nations through injury but returned for the autumn series and has continued to show the pace and footwork that made him one of the most exciting wingers in the Premiership. He beat 13 defenders in a single Champions Cup match against Bath in 2024, a stat that still gets brought up whenever his name comes up.
At 23 years old, he’s settled into the senior squad as a genuine attacking weapon, and how quickly he gets back to full fitness and form will matter a great deal to an England attack that badly needs more cutting edge.
Jamie George: The Experienced Head in His Final Seasons
Jamie George remains one of the most experienced players in the England squad, and his role has taken on extra significance since it was confirmed he’ll retire from playing in 2027. That timeline lines up almost exactly with the next Rugby World Cup, giving George’s final seasons in an England shirt real weight as both a mentor to younger hookers and a direct link to the team’s more successful recent years.
Borthwick named a 36-player squad for the 2026 Six Nations made up of 20 forwards and 16 backs, and George’s continued presence in that group, alongside fellow senior campaigners like Ellis Genge and George Ford, gave the side a base of experience even as results went badly wrong through February and March.
Henry Pollock: The Breakout Star Still Rising
No England player has had a faster rise over the past two years than Henry Pollock. He scored two tries off the bench on his Test debut against Wales in 2025, became the youngest forward ever selected for a British & Irish Lions tour later that year, and has kept his place in Borthwick’s enhanced squad heading into 2026/27.
Pollock plays with an aggression and confidence that stands out even among senior players, and after the disappointment of the 2026 Six Nations, he’s one of the players England fans are most excited to watch develop further.
Marcus Smith: Utility Value at Fly-Half and Full-Back
Marcus Smith rounds out England’s fly-half options, and his versatility gives Borthwick a genuine tactical tool. Smith has played at both fly-half and full-back for England, meaning he can be used to change the shape of the backline without needing a like-for-like swap. With 50 caps already to his name at 27 years old, he’s no longer the newcomer he once was, but his skill set still gives England attacking options that a more conventional number 10 wouldn’t offer.
His versatility became especially valuable during the 2026 Six Nations, when injuries elsewhere in the backline forced Borthwick into reshuffles more than once. Whatever role Smith plays through the rest of the year, his ability to slot into more than one position will likely keep him involved.
Alex Mitchell and the Scrum-Half Question
Alex Mitchell has established himself as England’s first-choice scrum-half in recent seasons, pairing well with the Northampton Saints contingent that runs through much of this squad. With 30 caps at 29 years old, Mitchell brings a sharp tempo to England’s attack and a snipe around the fringes that complements whichever fly-half is picked outside him. His partnership with the likes of Fin Smith, forged through years together at club level, is one of the quieter but more important relationships in Borthwick’s matchday plans.
Keeping that Northampton-heavy spine fit and firing through 2026 will matter enormously as England try to rebuild the cohesion that was so visibly missing during the Six Nations collapse.
Key Takeaways
- Maro Itoje: Captaining England through a rebuild after their worst-ever Six Nations finish, in fifth place in 2026.
- Fin Smith: One of three fly-half options alongside George Ford and Marcus Smith, giving Borthwick genuine selection depth.
- Tommy Freeman: A 27-cap winger who scored against Italy and remains one of England’s most consistent finishers.
- Ellis Genge: A senior prop whose fitness matters even more given England’s front-row injury crisis in 2026.
- Ben Earl: Kept his enhanced contract in the August 2026 reshuffle, underlining his importance to Borthwick’s plans.
- Immanuel Feyi-Waboso: A 23-year-old winger returning from injury with genuine game-breaking ability.
- Henry Pollock: The fastest-rising player in the squad, already a British & Irish Lion at 20.
FAQs
Who captains England rugby in 2026?
Maro Itoje captains England for the 2026 Six Nations and beyond, having led the side throughout 2025 as well.
Why did England struggle in the 2026 Six Nations?
England lost four of their five matches, including a first-ever defeat to Italy, after entering the tournament on an 11-match winning streak, finishing fifth in what was described as their worst-ever Six Nations campaign.
Who are England’s fly-half options in 2026?
Borthwick has three recognized fly-halves in contention: Fin Smith, George Ford, and Marcus Smith.
Is Henry Pollock still involved with England after his fast rise?
Yes, Pollock retained his place in Steve Borthwick’s enhanced Elite Player Squad named in August 2026.
Did the RFU consider replacing Steve Borthwick after the 2026 Six Nations?
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney issued a public statement backing Borthwick after the Italy defeat, rather than moving to replace him.
Conclusion
England rugby heads into the rest of 2026 with plenty to prove after a Six Nations campaign that fell apart in the final three rounds. But the players to watch — from Itoje’s leadership to Pollock’s raw talent — show why there’s still real belief that this group can turn things around before the 2027 World Cup. Keep an eye on how Borthwick’s selections evolve through the autumn internationals; that’s where the rebuild really begins.
