England Six Nations squad announcement: Steve Borthwick names three uncapped players for 2026 Championship as rising star Noah Caluori misses out

England head coach Steve Borthwick has named a trio of uncapped players in his 2026 Six Nations squad, but there is no space for rising Saracens star Noah Caluori.

Exeter No. 8 Greg Fisilau, Bath prop Vilikesa ‘Billy’ Sela and Northampton Saints prop Emmanuel Iyogun are the new faces introduced in Borthwick’s 36-man training selection.  

Maro Itoje captains the squad, but his Saracens club-mate, 19-year-old wing sensation Caluori, has been left out, as have Northampton pair George Hendy and Ollie Sleightholme.

"We’ve picked a squad with a good balance of experience, leadership and exciting potential," Borthwick said. "The margins in the Guinness Six Nations are incredibly fine so our aim over the coming days is to come together quickly, prepare thoroughly, and make sure we’re ready to perform.

"If we prepare well and keep demanding the highest levels from one another, it puts us in the strongest possible position when the Championship begins."

Competition for places in the back three was fierce, with Henry Arundell, Cadan Murley, Elliot Daly, Emmanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank and Freddie Steward getting the nod.

There is no return for former captain Owen Farrell, who has not featured for England since the 2023 Rugby World Cup but was involved with the British & Irish Lions for last summer’s tour of Australia.

George Ford and Marcus Smith are the two fly-halves picked with Fin Smith named as part of a recovering group of injured players, with Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Spencer and Alex Mitchell competing for the scrum-half spot and four centres named: Seb Atkinson, Fraser Dingwall, Max Ojomoh and Henry Slade.

Borthwick’s prop selection was hotly anticipated with tight-heads Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour out injured for the tournament.

Bath’s 20-year-old rising star Sela and loosehead Iyogun, 25, earned call-ups as they bid for their first international appearances, competing with Joe Heyes, Trevor Davison, Ellis Genge and Bevan Rodd.

Jamie George, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Theo Dan will fight for the hooker shirt, while Ollie Chessum, Alex Coles, Arthur Clark and Maro Itoje make up the lock selection.

The back row promises to be fiercely competitive, with Fisilau’s form for Exeter earning him a maiden call-up to battle with Ben Earl, Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Henry Pollock and Chandler Cunningham-South for a shirt.

The squad will begin preparations at Pennyhill Park next Tuesday before travelling to Girona in Spain for a pre-tournament camp.

Five players have been named on the list for "rehabilitation in Girona" as they look to bounce back to full fitness after injury: Ollie Lawrence, Fin Smith, Fin Baxter, Ben Curry and Tom Roebuck.

England kick off their Six Nations bid at home to Wales on Saturday, February 7, before travelling to Murrayfield to contest the Calcutta Cup with Scotland a week later.

The visit of Ireland to Twickenham follows on Saturday, February 21, and Borthwick’s men then head to Rome after the fallow week to take on Italy on Saturday, March 7.

Super Saturday is set for March 14, when England conclude their campaign with a blockbuster clash in Paris against France in the final match of the tournament.

Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 30 caps)
Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 14 caps)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 53 caps)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 20 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 65 caps)
Theo Dan (Saracens, 20 caps)
Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 46 caps)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 75 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 105 caps)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 97 caps) – captain
Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 10 caps)
Vilikesa Sela (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 45 caps)

Henry Arundell (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby, 2 caps)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 74 caps)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, 7 caps)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs, 13 caps)
George Ford (Sale Sharks, 105 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 22 caps)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 14 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 27 caps)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, 4 caps) 
Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby, 2 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 74 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 46 caps)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 41 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)

Rehabilitation in Girona: Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)

Not considered for selection: Oscar Beard (Harlequins), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints), George Martin (Leicester Tigers), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby).  

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