Coles and Opoku-Fordjour earn enhanced contracts with England Rugby

Alex Coles and Asher Opoku-Fordjour are among five England players awarded enhanced contracts by the RFU for the 2026/27 season. This marks the first time both players have received these contracts. The new contracts replace individual match fees with a fixed annual salary, allowing the RFU control over player care and conditioning. Alongside Coles and Opoku-Fordjour, debut recipients include George Martin, Guy Pepper, and Jack van Poortvliet. Players such as Ben Curry and Elliot Daly will no longer hold enhanced contracts following this update.