Following confirmation of England’s 23-man squad to take on the Wallabies, here’s our take on the key winners and losers from the selection.

Winners

Fin Smith

After a bit of an injury scare in the build-up, Fin Smith has been deemed fit to play this weekend.

Smith has quickly emerged as England‘s de facto number 10 in the past few months, starting each of their past five outings and usurping George Ford in the process. Crucially, too, the whole attacking system and potentially even the backline seems to be being built around him as well.

Had he been ruled out of this Test, and maybe even if was just a one-time thing and he could return for Japan, it would have meant England would have had to once again turn to the drawing board at fly-half and see what options they had. Instead, they can continue with the development of their new-look playmaking axis within this new-look system, as they continue to look for improvements in their game.

Having Smith back is such a positive thing for Steve Borthwick.

George Furbank

Goodness it’s been a long time between drinks for arguably England rugby’s unluckiest man. Injuries of various kinds and a bout of appendicitis in the July window has kept Furbank out of the Test side since November 2024.

In that time, England have turned to different options at full-back: Freddie Steward has been dipped in and out, Marcus Smith has been forced back in an attempt to replicate Furbank’s style and Elliot Daly has had a few cameos in there too. But it’s always felt like England were just biding their time, waiting for Furbank to come back.

And with good reason, too. Furbank is the quintessential full-back to play in this Lee Blackett system, floating across the backfield while also having the dual running and playmaking threat to cause real problems for opposition defences. He is also bang in-form too, enjoying a strong start to life at Harlequins, which is just another big tick in his box.

It’s so good to see Furbank back on the England team sheet.

Greg Fisilau

He’s certainly had to be patient for his shot, but Greg Fisilau is in a match-day squad and in-line to win his maiden Test cap.

The Exeter Chiefs back-rower, while still uncapped, has quickly become a regular feature in the England extended squad, and is exactly the sort of option Borthwick needs in the pack. He’s actually a real throwback eight, if anything: he’s super aggressive in the tight, consistently generates front-foot ball and breaks the gainline and is a more than willing carrier. Should he come off the bench, that will just help take the load off the likes of Ben Earl, Ellis Genge and Henry Pollock and give them yet another battering ram.

If he can make his mark on proceedings, he could quickly become a staple in the 23.

Returning forward duo

If being thrown back into the run-on group isn’t a sign of where you stand in the head coach’s view, then I don’t know what else is. And that’s exactly what’s happened with Fin Baxter and Ben Curry.

The pair have had it tough on the injury front since their last caps, with B. Curry last featuring back in July 2025 and Baxter in November of the same year, and in that time have had other players come into the mix and really nail down spots. The number seven shirt is arguably one of the most competitive spots in the entire England squad, while the front-row has become an ever-increasing weapon built around a stable unit; but they both make an immediate return into the starting side. It’s a massive show of faith from the head coach.

And yes, there are reasons they’ve got the nod. B. Curry was put into the starting mix following a knock to twin brother Tom and Baxter is probably to make sure he gets a good block of minutes back; but before their injuries they were becoming core members of the match-day group and it seems that’s where Borthwick sees them again now.

It could have been easy to just go with those who starred in their absence. But no, Borthwick has put his faith in them this weekend.

Henry Slade

There was a lot of chatter surrounding the 13 shirt this month, especially with Will Joseph and Joe Marchant (who we’ll come onto soon) returning to the fold, but it’s Henry Slade who gets the nod once again.

This feels like a way to just keep some stability within the centres, which has famously been a problem. It seems England are constantly tinkering with their 12 and 13 partnerships, running six different combinations in their past 12 Tests, and that is simply unsustainable if England are going to push for major honours both in the here and now and looking further down the line.

There will be pressure on him to deliver, with multiple players breathing down his neck, but he has the shirt this weekend.

Losers

Injured men

England might have had a key injury worry eased this week, but that wasn’t the only one they had hanging over them. Alex Mitchell, Guy Pepper, Kepu Tuipulotu and Sam Underhill are all ruled out of the campaign through injury, while Tom Curry also picked up a knock this week that saw him withdraw from the side. Archie McParland is also sidelined this weekend but could come back into the mix for Japan.

However, you feel all of them would have been right in the mix for the side this weekend, especially with Borthwick bringing back the Pom Squad, but they will have to miss out this time.

Returning back duo

There was certainly an argument to be made for both Joseph and Marchant coming into the 23 somewhere, but they also miss out this weekend.

When you look at the backline, and an extension the bench, their omission does make some sense. Borthwick has made just the sole change to the run-on group, with Furbank coming into at full-back, while the other nine players were involved right across the July campaign. Furbank would have been involved in some capacity too, if not for his appendicitis.

But then again, this felt like a prime opportunity to get them back in the mix. Joseph is arguably the form outside back at England’s disposal right now, while Marchant coming back into the squad at the first real opportunity following his return to the PREM suggests he is highly thought of by Borthwick. Crucially, they both give versatility with their ability to shift between centre and wing.

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They could be being kept back for some involvement against Japan, when they’d have another week in the system under their belts, but it does feel like a missed opportunity.

Marcus Smith

He’s back in that 23 jersey, which is certainly not the way he wants to be viewed. Smith has almost been pigeonholed into this utility back role with England, covering scrum-half, fly-half and full-back as required, but there is no doubt his best position is 10. That is no more evident than in recent weeks, with Smith back to his best for Harlequins at a time where the Londoners have won three games on the spin.

It isn’t so long ago that he was the man in the spotlight at fly-half for England, but he is now back in that versatile role.