Courtney Lawes and Joe Marchant have been warned they must go “over and above” the performances of their rivals in the first five weeks of the new seasonto earn England recalls this autumn.
Lawes, 37, and 30-year-old Marchant have both joined Sale this summer after spells in France and stated their ambition to resurrect their international careers, having last represented England at the 2023 World Cup.
Lawes retired from international duty after that tournament and helped Northampton to the Prem title before heading to Brive in France’s second tier for two years while Marchant spent three seasons at Stade Français before agreeing a move to the north-west.
While both are now eligible for selection again, Steve Borthwick has not chosen them for this week’s pre-season camp and the pair have been challenged to prove they warrant a place in the autumn squad – set to be named in late October.
“It is great to have [Courtney] back, [he has] unbelievable experience, [he’s] an England legend and he is back in pre-season, as everyone is, flying,” said England’s senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth. “There is a real excitement about watching him back in the Prem so I am enjoying that.
“I have actually bumped into Joe Marchant walking around living quite close to me so I caught up with him and it is great to have him back. We want as much quality as we can have in the league but they are going to have to go and play well because there are some good players in the room and to put them in you have to leave someone else out, so they would have to go over and above that I would say.”
Lawes has been clear that he believes players based in France should still be eligible for selection for England but the current criteria means those such as Jack Willis miss out. Wigglesworth believes Lawes’s decision to return and pursue another World Cup is a positive move for England.
“Everyone’s case is individual in where you want to play your rugby and what you want to do – I couldn’t have given it up, I didn’t play [for England] as much as loads of people,” he added. “But Courtney has said, ‘I have got an itch here and I am coming back’. How good is that as a statement? I am coming back because I want to do this. That level of determination and the qualities he has should put himself in a good spot.”
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Meanwhile, the captain, Maro Itoje, has returned to the fold after he was rested for the summer fixtures against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina after showing signs of fatigue during the Six Nations. “He is looking hungry,” said the attack coach, Lee Blackett. “At first he thought it would be good for him. I don’t think he realised how good it would be for him. He looks really hungry to be back and in a good place.”