Lawrence and Daly omitted from England's squad as World Cup nears
The Guardian Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 12, 2026, 2:11 PM
Last updated Aug 12, 2026

Ollie Lawrence and Elliot Daly have lost their central contracts and are notable omissions from England’s 25-man squad announced by head coach Steve Borthwick. With the Rugby World Cup set for next year, the decision reflects Borthwick's strategic selections as the team prepares. Neither player participated in this summer’s Three Nations Championship, with Daly nursing an arm injury. Their absence marks a significant shift in England's preparations for the upcoming tournament.
- •Lawrence and Daly both lost England central contracts.
- •Neither player featured in the Three Nations Championship.
- •Steve Borthwick's squad decisions are aimed at World Cup preparations.
- •Daly has been recovering from an arm injury.
- 2:11 PMThe Guardian Sport — Lawrence and Daly lose England central contracts as Borthwick looks to World Cup
"Duo are notable omissions from England’s 25-man list Alex Coles and Asher Opoku-Fordjour both included Ollie Lawrence and Elliot Daly have both lost their central contracts with Steve Borthwick omitting the pair from his 25-man squad a year before England’s World Cup campaign begins. Neither Lawrence nor Daly - who was nursing an arm injury - featured in this summer’s three Nations Championship matches but both were prominent during the Six Nations and are the standout exclusions of Borthwick’s selections which point towards his thinking for next year’s World Cup squad. Continue reading...
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
Six Nations•Aug 12, 2026, 1:30 PMFive players get first England deals in Borthwick shake-up- Six Nations•Aug 12, 2026, 1:05 PMOspreys say WRU plan to cut team is wrong
Six Nations•Aug 12, 2026, 10:06 AMRed Roses coach John Mitchell reveals stance on controversial trial of smaller ball- Six Nations•Aug 11, 2026, 2:07 PMScotland ‘surprised’ as coach Sione Fukofuka unveiled by Australia days after leaving for personal reasons
- Six Nations•Aug 10, 2026, 12:13 PMNeumann back in Wales' extended WXV training squad
Six Nations•Aug 8, 2026, 9:03 AMJapan v Australia: rugby union international – live
