Experienced centre Henry Slade has been left out of England’s Rugby World Cup squad as the shock omission from Steve Borthwick’s 33-player selection named on Monday morning.
Slade had featured in 33 of England’s 37 internationals since the 2019 tournament and had hoped to feature at a third World Cup, but finds himself left out with Joe Marchant favoured at outside centre.
Rookie hooker Theo Dan, who earned his first cap against Wales, is an eye-catching inclusion in the front row, but there is no place for his fellow debutants in Cardiff, with both Tom Pearson and Tom Willis squeezed out of the back row.
With Alex Dombrandt, who has started every England Test this year, omitted alongside the younger Willis brother, it leaves Borthwick without specialist No 8 back-up for Billy Vunipola, who is still working his way back from a knee issue and is yet to feature under the England head coach. Versatile back-rowers Ben Earl and Lewis Ludlam are preferred, with Jack Willis, Tom Curry and vice-captain Courtney Lawes completing the back-row options in the squad.
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