Once the management speak had been waded through, a clear picture emerged from England’s 25-man list of enhanced Elite Player Squad (EPS) contracts for the upcoming season of who Steve Borthwick trusts for the 2027 World Cup.

The winners? Alex Coles, Seb Atkinson and Guy Pepper. The losers? Ollie Lawrence, Tom Roebuck and Elliot Daly. Tom Willis is also now absent after the No 8 decided to rule himself out of England contention by signing for Bordeaux.

Borthwick has not made wholesale changes to the core squad, who each receive in the region of £150,000 from the RFU and are managed more closely by the head coach and his staff. And an EPS contract is no guarantee of Test selection. But it does provide a clue as to what Borthwick is thinking.

Coles’ addition is the most noteworthy, after the Northampton lock’s impressive international progression in the past year. He’s been involved in all of England’s past 12 Tests and went well at lock in the summer’s Nations Championship matches while captain Maro Itoje was rested.

Coles’ development, the return to fitness of the hard-hitting George Martin and Ollie Chessum’s new position on the blindside flank means Borthwick is not short of lineout forwards. Like Chessum, Coles can also play in the back-row and such versatility can be invaluable at World Cups.

Itoje certainly has a job on his hands to return to the starting team, even if the most likely lock combination for the autumn will be him alongside Martin in the second row, with Chessum wearing No6.

Alex Coles’ addition is the most noteworthy, after the Northampton lock’s impressive international progression in the past year

Guy Pepper, who now has 15 caps, has been rewarded for his progress with an EPS contract

Coles, however, will certainly not give up his starting shirt without a fight. His ability to do the nasty, unseen work combined with the ball-playing ability he has honed winning two PREM Rugby titles with the Saints gives him a point of difference. 

Alongside Coles, Gloucester centre Atkinson, Bath flanker Pepper, Leicester scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet and Sale prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour are all new faces on the EPS list.

Atkinson’s replacing of Lawrence as one of the centre options is also significant and a blow for the latter, though it may just provide the kick up the backside he needs to return to his best.

A year out from the World Cup, one of the biggest problems England have is that their midfield pairing is still as clear as mud. A fully firing Lawrence has to be in the mix.

On the whole, England’s squad is ripe for a bolter or two to come in and shake-up the established order – perhaps Northampton duo George Hendy and Archie McParland, or Harlequins’ 20-year-old scrum-half Lucas Friday.

Noah Caluori and Benhard Janse van Rensburg could upset the apple cart and add an injection of fresh blood into the squad

Of the latest 25-man party, 20 were also named this time last year and the team then went on to produce the worst Six Nations in England’s history, losing four of the five matches.

Some have argued EPS contracts breed a degree of comfort in selection which should always be absent at international level. Borthwick clearly feels different. He knows the ones he trusts and has kept the faith. Noah Caluori and Benhard Janse van Rensburg could upset the apple cart.

You get the feeling England would certainly benefit from an injection of fresh blood after a disappointing 2026. That needs to change because right now, it is hard to make a case for Borthwick’s men being genuine World Cup contenders.