ENGLAND RECALL JOE MARCHANT TO TRAINING SQUAD

England have recalled Joe Marchant to a 36-player training squad for the autumn Nations Championship matches. The Sale Sharks centre has received his first England call-up since the 2023 World Cup. Marchant became ineligible after moving to France to play for Stade Français following that tournament. His return to England with Sale this season made him available for selection again. The squad assembled on Sunday for a three-day camp ahead of England’s match against Australia on 8 November.

Steve Borthwick has also included Gloucester centre Will Joseph among the backs selected for the camp. Joseph made his only Test appearance during England’s 2022 tour of Australia. He is the younger brother of former England player Jonathan Joseph. Seb Atkinson will join the squad at its Surrey base but will spend this camp rehabilitating a knee injury. Benhard Janse van Rensburg has not played since sustaining a concussion while playing for Bristol on 3 October.

Marchant has won 26 England caps and helped Harlequins win the domestic title in 2021. Former England captain Courtney Lawes has also joined Sale after leaving French club Brive, but Borthwick has not recalled him. Sale players George Ford, Ben Curry, Tom Curry, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Asher Opoku-Fordjour are also in the squad. England will face Japan on 14 November and New Zealand on 21 November after the Australia match.