Tobias Elliott Joins England Camp as Maro Itoje Takes a Breather
Saracens wing Tobias Elliott has been called up for a training camp with England, as several players from Northampton, Bath, Exeter, and Leicester are absent due to their preparations for the upcoming Premiership semi-finals. Elliott, who had a challenging start to the season, showcased his talent with seven tries in 16 league games last term and played a key role in Saracens' late push for play-off contention. In the camp, Harlequins' Will Hobson, 23, enters the senior setup for the first time while covering for Ellis Genge, who is recovering from a calf injury. Additionally, Nathan Jibulu steps in for the injured Luke Cowan-Dickie at hooker. Among the 26 players called up is Ben Redshaw from Gloucester, who co-captained the England Under-20s at last summer's world championship. The training camp aims to prepare for England's non-cap warm-up match against a France XV in Vannes on 19 June. Although Maro Itoje is theoretically available, he has been rested as England considers his workload following extensive game time with club and country, plus personal challenges this year. Head coach Steve Borthwick noted that Itoje's participation in the summer itinerary, which includes matches against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina, remains an ongoing discussion. Additionally, Chandler Cunningham-South is absent due to a calf issue, while Raffi Quirke and Harry Randall are selected over Charlie Bracken for scrum-half duties.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-06-09