Joe Marchant recalled to England 36-man training squad for Nations Championship

Joe Marchant was recalled to England's 36-man training squad for next month's Nations Championship on 25 October 2026, as head coach Steve Borthwick navigates injury disruption in midfield. The group will begin preparations on Sunday for the autumn opener against Australia.

It is Marchant's first England call-up since the 2023 World Cup. His two-year spell at Stade Français has ended. He has returned to the Gallagher Premiership with Sale this season. That move has made him available for selection once more.

The squad's forwards list includes F Baxter (Harlequins), O Chessum (Leicester Tigers), A Clark (Gloucester), A Coles (Northampton), L Cowan-Dickie (Sale), B Curry (Sale) and T Curry (Sale).

Also named among the forwards are B Earl (Saracens), G Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), J George (Saracens), E Genge (Bristol), J Heyes (Leicester), M Itoje (Saracens), E Iyogun (Northampton), G Martin (Saracens), A Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks) and T Pearson (Northampton).

The final group of forwards lists H Pollock (Northampton), W Stuart (Bath) and K Tuipulotu (Bath). The backs selected comprise N Caluori (Saracens), F Dingwall (Northampton), G Ford (Sale), T Freeman (Northampton), G Furbank (Harlequins), W Joseph (Gloucester), J Marchant (Sale), A McParland (Northampton), A Mitchell (Northampton), C Murley (Harlequins), M Ojomoh (Bath), H Slade (Exeter), F Smith (Northampton), M Smith (Harlequins), F Steward (Leicester) and J van Poortvliet (Leicester).

Players listed for rehabilitation are S Atkinson (Gloucester), I Feyi-Waboso (Exeter) and G Pepper (Bath). Will Joseph, the Gloucester centre, is included after his form in the opening four rounds of the Premiership. Joseph is the younger brother of former England player Jonathan Joseph and made his only Test appearance during the 2022 tour of Australia; he will be looking to press his claim in the absence of Seb Atkinson.

Atkinson is pencilled in to start against the Wallabies at inside centre and will join the squad at their Surrey base, but during this camp he will be limited to rehabilitating a knee injury. Benhard Janse van Rensburg has not played since sustaining a concussion after a head knock on club duty for Bristol on 3 October.

The 36-man squad will assemble on Sunday at their Surrey base to prepare for the autumn opener against Australia, with Marchant and the other selections now available for consideration.