Steve Borthwick has revamped his list of centrally contracted players as England looks toward the next Rugby World Cup. For the 2026-27 season, 25 athletes will receive elite deals valued at approximately £150,000.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Alex Coles, Guy Pepper, Jack van Poortvliet, and Seb Atkinson are receiving these enhanced contracts for the first time. Conversely, several established names have been dropped from the list, including Elliot Daly, Ben Curry, Ollie Lawrence, and Tom Roebuck, with reasons ranging from injury absences to shifts in coaching preference.
Tom Willis is also excluded from the squad due to his upcoming transfer to Bordeaux, which makes him ineligible for national selection. These enhanced contracts, established in 2024 via the Professional Game Partnership, grant Borthwick direct control over player medical and conditioning oversight. While these agreements provide players with a guaranteed salary, those not on these specific contracts continue to earn a match fee of roughly £21,000 per appearance.
