Owen Farrell has not been included in an England squad for a three-day training camp ahead of the Autumn Nations Series with the fly half’s international future still unclear.
Farrell made his return to Test rugby with the British and Irish Lions in Australia this summer, featuring in the second and third games against the Wallabies, but has not played for England since the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Shortly after that tournament, the 33-year-old announced that he was taking a sabbatical from international rugby before subsequently agreeing a move to Racing 92 in Paris, rendering him ineligible for selection.
But while he is now back in England having re-signed for Saracens, and agreed to join up with the Lions in the summer, he is not part of a 36-man group that assembled at England’s Pennyhill Park training base on Sunday for a three-day training camp.
George Ford, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith all earn inclusion with a competitive fight for fly half places brewing ahead of a November in which Borthwick’s side take on Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina.
Borthwick told the BBC before the successful tour of Argentina and the United States that Farrell had not been considered for that trip.
The England head coach said: “Owen has been on record saying he just wants to get back playing and get settled with his family back in Hertfordshire, and we wish him all the best with that.”
Farrell, meanwhile, insisted during the Lions tour that he had made no decisions over his future, though hoped to make the most of the rest of his career.
“I’m determined to enjoy what I’m doing and love every minute of however long that I’ve got left,” said Farrell. “I’m not old yet. Johnny [Sexton] played forever and I’m obviously a half‑back as well.
“There’s loads left in us and I’m just determined to enjoy it. I’ve come back to make the most of what I am doing. We’ll see what happens.”
Four more English Lions will join up with Borthwick’s squad to rehabilitate, with captain Maro Itoje one of them. Tom Curry, Elliot Daly and Will Stuart are also listed as rehabbing, along with wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso after his injury-disrupted year.
Lock George Martin and wing Ollie Sleightholme are among those not considered for selection due to injury. England begin their autumn business against Australia on 1 November.
England’s 36-player squad:
Forwards
Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)
Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby)
Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
Tom Willis (Saracens)
Backs
Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby)
Oscar Beard (Harlequins)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
George Ford (Sale Sharks)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Will Muir (Bath Rugby)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)
Rehabilitation: Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby), Maro Itoje (Saracens).
Not considered for selection: Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby), Curtis Langdon (Northampton Saints), George Martin (Leicester Tigers), Luke Northmore (Harlequins), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints)
