FOUR QUINS RUGBY PLAYERS SET FOR WORLD CUP
Four local Harlequins players have been today named in Steve Borthwick’s England Rugby World Cup squad for France 2023.
Prop Joe Marler (79 caps), hooker Jack Walker (3 caps), scrum-half Danny Care (88 caps) and fly-half Marcus Smith (22 caps) have been selected in Steve Borthwick’s 33-player squad.
Another Quins player Alex Dombrandt missed out on selection but the shock omission was Exeter’s Henry Slade.
The squad, which is made up of 19 forwards and 14 backs, totals more than 1,400 England appearances combined, with an average age of 27 years old. 17 players have previous Rugby World Cup experience.
Head Coach Steve Borthwick said: “Rugby World Cups involve unique challenges in terms of the demands on players, the need for squad flexibility and the limited number of squad places available. France 2023 is no different, but I am confident we have selected a squad of 33 that is well able to meet those challenges and leave us best placed to be at our most competitive in this exciting tournament.”
England begin their Rugby World Cup campaign in France against Argentina in Marseille (Saturday 9 September, KO 20:00 BST) before playing Japan in Nice (Sunday 17 September, kO 20:00 BST), Chile in Lille (Saturday 23 September, KO 16:45 BST) and Samoa in Lille (Saturday 7 October, KO 16:45 BST).
England’s 2023 Rugby World Cup squad:
Forwards: Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps) , Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)*** Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)* , Theo Dan (Saracens, 1 cap) , Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps) , Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 49 caps)* , Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)** , Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)* , Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)*** , Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 20 caps)* , Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)** , George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps) , David Ribbans (Toulon, 6 caps) , Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 3 caps) , Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)* , Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 26 caps) , Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps) ** , Jack Walker (Harlequins, 3 caps) , Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)
Backs: Henry Arundell (Racing 92, 7 caps) , Danny Care (Harlequins, 88 caps)* , Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)* , Owen Farrell (Saracens, 106 caps)** , George Ford (Sale Sharks, 82 caps)** , Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps) , Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 19 caps) , Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 16 caps) , Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 22 caps) , Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps) , Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 51 caps)** , Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 13 caps), Anthony Watson (unattached, 55 caps)** , Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)***
