The 33 player line-up at France 2023

Steve Borthwick has named his England squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

Henry Slade is the shock omission from the 33-player line up, with fellow veterans Jonny May and Mako Vunipola missing out as a result of poor form and fitness respectively. Harlequins No 8 Alex Dombrandt has also been dropped.

Owen Farrell will captain the side in his third World Cup, while Ellis Genge and Courtney Lawes are named as vice-captains.

Here’s everything you need to know about England’s Rugby World Cup squad for the tournament in France:

England’s Rugby World Cup 2023 squad in full

Forwards (19):

• Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)
• Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)***
• Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)*
• Theo Dan (Saracens, 1 cap)
• Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)
• Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 49 caps)*
• Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)**
• Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)*
• Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)***
• Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 20 caps)*
• Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)**
• George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
• David Ribbans (Toulon, 6 caps)
• Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 3 caps)
• Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)*
• Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
• Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps) **
• Jack Walker (Harlequins, 3 caps)
• Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)

Backs (14):

• Henry Arundell (Racing 92, 7 caps)
• Danny Care (Harlequins, 88 caps)*
• Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)*
• Owen Farrell (Saracens, 106 caps)**
• George Ford (Sale Sharks, 82 caps)**
• Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
• Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 19 caps)
• Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 16 caps)
• Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 22 caps)
• Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
• Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 51 caps)**
• Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 13 caps)
• Anthony Watson (unattached, 55 caps)**
• Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)***

*denotes number of Rugby World Cups played

Analysis: Borthwick’s big calls and why he made them

Rookie hooker Theo Dan and back-three prospect Henry Arundell are among the big winners in the announcement of England’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The 56-times capped centre Slade and Harlequins No 8 Alex Dombrandt are surprisingly dumped by head coach Steve Borthwick after featuring regularly during this year’s Six Nations.

Borthwick has settled on the power runners Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence alongside Joe Marchant as England’s first-choice centres, with Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly able to switch into midfield if selection demands it.

Marchant’s ability to play on the wing has helped to nail his position in the 33-man party to go to France.

Borthwick has backed several men whose fitness has been under question in recent months including Billy Vunipola, who has not played since April after suffering a knee injury and subsequent surgery, and is the only full-time No 8 in the squad.

Tom Curry, Ben Earl and Lewis Ludlam can cover the position, but only Vunipola has the specialist set-piece skills of playing there every week.

It is reminiscent of Vunipola being the sole regular No 8 in the Japan World Cup four years ago, with Mark Wilson covering, but the former has had a chequered injury history in the meantime.

Injury replacements are allowed during the World Cup but only on a permanent basis.

Dombrandt has been unable to convince Borthwick that his footballing skills and picking of lovely running angles will dovetail with the power game England appear to be favouring.

Harlequins hooker Jack Walker has got the nod despite not training fully in recent weeks, and is joined by Dan, the Romania-qualified Saracens 22-year-old who made his England debut in nervy style in Wales, but has bags of potential as a destructive and creative ball-carrier.

Arundell has the chance to fulfil the youthful promise he has shown in the past 18 months as a fast and elusive full-back/wing – providing the “magic” of breaking a game up that Borthwick says every good England team needs.

Why was Henry Slade cut from the squad?

Henry Slade was the shock omission from England’s Rugby World Cup squad.

There had been no indication of doubt over Slade during England’s summer training camps, and the Exeter Chiefs centre was used as a second-half substitute in the partly experimental team who suffered a 20-9 loss to Wales in the opening World Cup warm-up match.

But Slade was reportedly surprised to be delivered the bad news of his exclusion by Borthwick in a series of face-to-face meetings held with the players before they returned home from Cardiff.

Slade’s left-footed kicking and smooth playmaking skills appeared to be valued by Borthwick when he started each of the last four matches of the Six Nations earlier this year.

But with only 14 backs selected for next month’s tournament in France, the 30-year-old has lost out to the power running of regular centres Tuilagi and Lawrence, and the positional versatility of Farrell, Marchant and Daly.

England’s Rugby World Cup 2023 fixtures

• 9 Sep: England vs Argentina (Pool D) – Stade Velodrome, Marseille
• 17 Sep: England vs Japan (Pool D) – Stade de Nice, Nice
• 23 Sep: England vs Chile (Pool D) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
• 7 Oct: England vs Samoa (Pool D) – Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille

What did Steve Borthwick say about his squad?

“Rugby World Cups involve unique challenges in terms of the demands on players, the need for squad flexibility and the limited number of squad places available,” Borthwick said.

“France 2023 is no different, but I am confident we have selected a squad of 33 that is well able to meet those challenges and leave us best placed to be at our most competitive in this exciting tournament.

“There have been a number of very difficult selection decisions to make, given the quality of our wider training squad. Some very good players have missed out on selection such has been the competition for places over the last eight weeks and more of preparation.”