England's Injury Crisis Deepens Before All Blacks Showdown
Steve Borthwick's preparations for England's highly anticipated clash with New Zealand have been severely disrupted, with key players Ollie Chessum and Tommy Freeman emerging as serious doubts for Saturday's encounter at Twickenham. Both British & Irish Lions players were notably absent from Monday's training session, casting significant uncertainty over their availability for the weekend's showdown.
Second Row Reshuffle as Chessum Struggles
The situation appears particularly concerning for Leicester Tigers captain Ollie Chessum, who is battling a foot injury. The lock forward was spotted using crutches at England's training base in Bagshot, a clear indication of the severity of his condition. Chessum was replaced after 70 minutes during England's 38-18 victory over Fiji last weekend, and his likely absence would force a significant reshuffle in the pack.
In what would represent a major blow to Borthwick's plans, Alex Coles is now expected to partner Maro Itoje in the second row against the formidable All Blacks. This potential pairing lacks the established combination Borthwick would have preferred against one of rugby's most dominant teams.
Chessum's injury history on international duty makes this development especially frustrating. The powerful lock missed the entire autumn campaign last year due to a knee injury sustained at England's preparation camp in Girona and nearly missed the 2023 World Cup following an ankle injury during that year's Six Nations tournament.
Backline Concerns Mount With Freeman Hamstrung
Equally worrying for England is the condition of Tommy Freeman, who is understood to be nursing a hamstring injury. The 24-year-old back has become an integral part of Steve Borthwick's back-line strategy, demonstrating his versatility by starting at outside-centre against Australia before moving to the right wing against Fiji.
Freeman has started every England match for which he's been available since the beginning of 2024, making his potential absence a considerable setback. His powerful running and defensive reliability would be sorely missed against a New Zealand side known for their expansive attacking game.
Borthwick had reportedly been considering Freeman for the number 13 jersey against the All Blacks, but Ollie Lawrence would now likely retain the outside-centre position if the Northampton Saint is ruled unavailable.
Borthwick's Selection Headache Intensifies
The injury concerns extend beyond Chessum and Freeman, creating what could become a full-blown selection crisis for the England head coach. While Elliot Daly has returned to full training, he hasn't played since fracturing an arm during Lions duty in June, making his immediate reintroduction against New Zealand a significant gamble.
There is more positive news regarding Freddie Steward (hand) and Tom Roebuck (ankle), both of whom have returned to training after missing the Fiji match. Their availability would provide crucial depth, particularly with Freeman's participation in doubt.
Borthwick faces particularly limited options in the second row. If Itoje and Coles are named as starters, Chandler Cunningham-South would be pressed into providing cover despite starting at number eight against Fiji. This would necessitate further changes to the back row composition.
Sam Underhill is expected to return to the fold after sitting out the victory against Fiji. The destructive tackler has started 13 of England's 16 matches since the 2023 World Cup, and his experience against the All Blacks could prove invaluable. It would also be surprising if Tom Curry, who has appeared from the bench in both autumn tests to date, doesn't return to the starting lineup.
England approach this crucial encounter riding a wave of nine consecutive Test victories, but face a New Zealand team against whom they've lost their last three encounters, all by narrow margins. The hosts haven't defeated the All Blacks at Twickenham since Manu Tuilagi's famous performance in 2012, adding extra significance to this weekend's fixture.
Underhill, one of the few current squad members to have experienced victory over New Zealand after starring alongside Curry as part of Eddie Jones's "Kamikaze Kids" in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, understands the challenge ahead. "As a team they are incredibly good decision-makers and they take advantage of teams that are slow to react to things," Underhill noted. "You have almost got to see the game as quickly as you can, then the physical intensity; they are an athletic team, a dynamic team that make the most of space and speed of ball."
