Our experts pick their England squad to face Japan and New Zealand

The England squad that will face Japan and New Zealand this summer will be finalised by Steve Borthwick on Monday, after this weekend’s Premiership final.

Telegraph Sport’s experts pick the players they would like to see make the plane as part of a 36-man travelling party.

Do you agree or disagree with our writers? Let us know in the comments below.

Rood, Willis and Dombrandt make cut

Props: Joe Marler, Fin Baxter, Bevan Rodd, Dan Cole, Trevor Davison, Will Stuart
Hookers: Jamie George, Theo Dan, Curtis Langdon
Locks: Maro Itoje, George Martin, Alex Coles, Rusi Tuima
Back row: Sam Underhill, Ben Earl, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ted Hill, Tom Willis, Tom Curry, Ethan Roots
Scrum-halves: Alex Mitchell, Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Spencer
Fly-halves: George Ford, Marcus Smith, Fin Smith
Centres: Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Luke Northmore, Fraser Dingwall
Back three: Tommy Freeman, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tom Roebuck, Ollie Sleightholme, George Furbank, Freddie Steward

Writing all these names out together emphasises England’s need to build depth and be bold because Steve Borthwick has veterans and newbies without too much in between. My tougher calls are probably Bevan Rood over Beno Obano, Tom Willis over Alfie Barbeary and Alex Dombrandt, Jack van Poortvliet over Harry Randall and Freddie Steward over Max Malins. Charlie Ewels is unfortunate, too.

I also would like to have taken Greg Fisilau, Raffi Quirke, Max Ojomoh and Joe Carpenter and it is heartening that Borthwick has taken a closer look at those players in camp. As for Tom Curry, I am not sure how much more there is to be gained by giving him the entire summer off, and he nips in ahead of his brother. A split of 20 forwards and 16 backs is helped by the versatility of Marcus Smith, Luke Northmore and Tommy Freeman. That way, I get to bring Rusi Tuima as well, who could be a bit of a wildcard.

George makes it despite his form

Props: Joe Marler, Beno Obano, Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Will Stuart, Trevor Davison
Hookers: Theo Dan, Curtis Langdon, Jamie George
Locks: George Martin, Maro Itoje, Alex Coles, Rusi Tuima
Back row: Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl, Ethan Roots, Chandler Cunningham-South, Alfie Barbeary, Tom Willis
Scrum-halves: Alex Mitchell, Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Spencer
Fly-halves: George Ford, Marcus Smith, Fin Smith
Centres: Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Fraser Dingwall, Luke Northmore
Back three: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Sleightholme, Tom Roebuck, George Furbank, Freddie Steward

The hookers pick themselves, although there are questions over George’s form. The scrummaging prowess of Marler, Obano and Baxter means that Bean Rodd narrowly misses out and, with the same logic, Davison is included on the tighthead. With Ollie Chessum injured, Tuima comes into the lock conversation while Barbeary and Willis are two new(ish) faces in the back row, to give England a bit more oomph from No 8. And, as I wrote this week, I would bring Tom Curry straight back – sadly, in place of his brother – given that he has not played all season.

Behind the pack, the three scrum-halves selected are the league’s form trio; the same can be said of the fly-halves, the easiest pick of the bunch. England’s centre depth is a concern but Dingwall has been in terrific nick for Saints while Northmore has the potential to be Test class. If the Quins centre can recapture some of that 2022 form, before injury struck, he is well worth his place in the squad. The two full-backs pick themselves but, without Elliot Daly on the wing, an opportunity arises for the Premiership’s man of the moment, Sleightholme. The Saint competing with team-mate Freeman and Feyi-Waboso for two wing spots is box office. Roebuck’s aerial prowess should not be discounted, either.

Cole selection highlights lack of tightheads

Props: Joe Marler, Fin Baxter, Bevan Rodd, Dan Cole, Trevor Davison, Will Stuart
Hookers: Jamie George, Theo Dan, Curtis Langdon
Locks: Maro Itoje, George Martin, Alex Coles
Back row: Sam Underhill, Ben Earl, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ted Hill, Tom Willis, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt
Scrum-halves: Alex Mitchell, Ben Spencer, Jack van Poortvliet
Fly-halves: George Ford, Marcus Smith, Fin Smith
Centres: Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Fraser Dingwall
Back three: Tommy Freeman, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tom Roebuck, George Furbank, Freddie Steward, Joe Carpenter, Ollie Sleighthome.

Where are the tightheads? That Dan Cole is going to be asked to tour again and lock the England scrum sheds light on the shortage of front row options for the England head coach. Archie Griffin declared for Wales this year while the likes of Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Billy Sela need more game time.

It is the one position of concern ahead of a tour that should see Borthwick seek to add depth to a squad that finished the Six Nations with a flourish. Joe Carpenter and Tom Roebuck finished their Premiership campaign on fire, so too has Ben Curry, while brother Tom has only just returned to action so would benefit from a summer at home.

Mercer is my wildcard

Props: Joe Marler, Fin Baxter, Beno Obano, Dan Cole, Trevor Davison, Will Stuart
Hookers: Jamie George, Theo Dan, Curtis Langdon
Locks: Alex Coles, George Martin, Rusi Tuima, Nick Isiekwe
Back row: Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, Ben Curry, Ted Hill, Zach Mercer, Pearson
Scrum-half: Alex Mitchell, Jack Van Poortvliet, Ben Spencer
Fly-half: Marcus Smith, George Ford, Fin Smith
Centres: Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Fraser Dingwall, Luke Nothmore
Back three: George Furbank, Freddie Steward, Tommy Freeman, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tom Roebuck, Ollie Sleightholme

First things first, there’s no Maro Itoje or Tom Curry. Itoje could only play one full game on the tour before breaking the player welfare limit while Curry has only played 30 minutes since the World Cup. Will their absence hurt England? Yes, but it is more important they have a summer to rest coming off a World Cup season going into a Lions year.

There are so many positions where I flipped-flopped indecisively. such as between Bevan Rodd and Obano at loosehead or Tom Pearson and Ethan Roots, which emphasises the depth from which Steve Borthwick has to choose, although the second-row options are a bit skinny in the absence of Itoje and the injured Ollie Chessum. My one wild card would be Zach Mercer, who has not been included in Borthwick’s initial squad for whatever reason. While England are far from short of back-row options, he is such a unique player whom I would love to see in a Test arena.

Obano rewarded for semi-final display

Props: Joe Marler, Fin Baxter, Beno Obano, Dan Cole, Trevor Davison, Will Stuart
Hookers: Jamie George, Theo Dan, Curtis Langdon
Locks: Maro Itoje, George Martin, Alex Coles, Rusi Tuima
Back row: Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ted Hill, Tom Willis, Ethan Roots
Scrum-halves: Alex Mitchell, Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Spencer
Fly-halves: George Ford, Marcus Smith, Fin Smith
Centres: Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Fraser Dingwall
Back three: Tommy Freeman, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tom Roebuck, Ollie Sleightholme, George Furbank, Joe Carpenter, Freddie Steward

You will notice there are only three centres — that is because Freeman can cover at 13 (nine starts there for Northampton this season, including in the Champions Cup semi-final) and his size and speed in that channel need to be examined at Test level. Obano outperformed Bevan Rodd in the semi-final and makes the cut. Otherwise largely as expected. Carpenter, Sale’s 20-year-old full-back, making the group because Freeman is trusted to cover in midfield.

Luke Northmore could have been an option and had that been the case, then maybe Steward would have dropped out entirely, for two reasons; England know what they have there, and he is no longer an automatic selection having not featured in the final three games of the Six Nations. The most intriguing players out of the above group? Baxter, Langdon, Tuima, Sleightholme. All in hot form, and all need a run-out. Hard to think of a more pleasing potential selection than Hill, who grafts all game long.