England's rugby landscape just got a jolt of youthful vigor as 19-year-old Noah Caluori, fresh from a stunning five-try debut with Saracens, earns a spot on the national team for the upcoming November Test series. This towering talent, who stands nearly two meters tall, turned heads with a phenomenal performance that left Sale gasping in a 65-14 thrashing.
Despite having only a handful of Premiership games under his belt this season, Caluori's explosive entrance has not gone unnoticed by the powers that be. His rapid ascent from Championship rugby - playing just a week prior for Ampthill against Cornish Pirates - to Premiership stardom and now to the international stage, is nothing short of meteoric.
England coach Steve Borthwick has been busy shuffling his deck. Alongside the fresh-faced Caluori, Borthwick is bringing back Sale scrumhalf Raffi Quirke, whose last appearance in an England jersey was back in 2021 under Eddie Jones. However, there's a conspicuous absence of Owen Farrell once again, and an unfortunate injury leaves Leicester Tigers' Emeka Ilione out of the lineup.
The England squad is bracing for a robust series that kicks off against Australia at Twickenham, followed by matches against Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina. However, preparations have been less than ideal with scheduling conflicts extending players' commitments to their Premiership clubs.
The RFU's decision to squeeze in a fourth Autumn Test has also stirred the pot, creating a condensed preparation window for Borthwick's squad.
"Our focus is on making the most of the time we have together as we approach what will be a fiercely competitive series. Facing Australia in the opening match will be a great test against a team that has been training and playing together for some time,"
stated Borthwick, acknowledging the challenges ahead.
Meanwhile, Australia faces its own challenges, missing key players like Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper due to club commitments in England.
As the squads gear up for the intense international showdowns, here are the players representing England: Backs: Freddie Steward, Noah Caluori, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Tommy Freeman, George Ford, Alex Mitchell, Ben Spencer, Henry Arundell, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Fraser Dingwall, Max Ojomoh, Cadan Murley, Tom Roebuck, Marcus Smith, Fin Smith, Raffi Quirke. Forwards: Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Nick Isiekwe, Guy Pepper, Chandler Cunningham-South, Alex Coles, Will Stuart, Joe Heyes, Fin Baxter, Henry Pollock, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Jack Kenningham.
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England's rugby landscape just got a jolt of youthful vigor as 19-year-old Noah Caluori, fresh from a stunning five-try debut with Saracens, earns a spot on the national team for the upcoming November Test series. This towering talent, who stands nearly two meters tall, turned heads with a phenomenal performance that left Sale gasping in a 65-14 thrashing.
Despite having only a handful of Premiership games under his belt this season, Caluori's explosive entrance has not gone unnoticed by the powers that be. His rapid ascent from Championship rugby - playing just a week prior for Ampthill against Cornish Pirates - to Premiership stardom and now to the international stage, is nothing short of meteoric.
England coach Steve Borthwick has been busy shuffling his deck. Alongside the fresh-faced Caluori, Borthwick is bringing back Sale scrumhalf Raffi Quirke, whose last appearance in an England jersey was back in 2021 under Eddie Jones. However, there's a conspicuous absence of Owen Farrell once again, and an unfortunate injury leaves Leicester Tigers' Emeka Ilione out of the lineup.
The England squad is bracing for a robust series that kicks off against Australia at Twickenham, followed by matches against Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina. However, preparations have been less than ideal with scheduling conflicts extending players' commitments to their Premiership clubs.
The RFU's decision to squeeze in a fourth Autumn Test has also stirred the pot, creating a condensed preparation window for Borthwick's squad.
"Our focus is on making the most of the time we have together as we approach what will be a fiercely competitive series. Facing Australia in the opening match will be a great test against a team that has been training and playing together for some time,"
stated Borthwick, acknowledging the challenges ahead.Meanwhile, Australia faces its own challenges, missing key players like Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper due to club commitments in England.
As the squads gear up for the intense international showdowns, here are the players representing England: Backs: Freddie Steward, Noah Caluori, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Tommy Freeman, George Ford, Alex Mitchell, Ben Spencer, Henry Arundell, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Fraser Dingwall, Max Ojomoh, Cadan Murley, Tom Roebuck, Marcus Smith, Fin Smith, Raffi Quirke. Forwards: Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Nick Isiekwe, Guy Pepper, Chandler Cunningham-South, Alex Coles, Will Stuart, Joe Heyes, Fin Baxter, Henry Pollock, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Jack Kenningham.