Fraser Dingwall said his omission from England’s past two squads had felt “disappointing”, but did not mean the door was closed for a return.

The 27-year-old Northampton Saints club captain was England’s first-choice inside centre in a successful autumn that included victory over New Zealand. He also started for Steve Borthwick’s side in their first three Six Nations matches this year.

However, he was not included in the squad for this summer’s Nations Championship Test matches, or the 36-man training squad for this autumn’s fixtures, despite being part of Northampton’s Prem title success.

“The initial disappointment was quite large,” said Dingwall. “I’m not going to shy away from it.”

England finished the 2026 Six Nations with four defeats in five games – their worst campaign in history. In July’s Nations Championship matches, Borthwick’s side were beaten by world champions South Africa, before victories over Fiji and Argentina.

“I am still in contact with Steve [Borthwick],” Dingwall told BBC Radio Northampton’s Saints Show.

“My perspective on it is that the Six Nations didn’t go very well for the squad. In amongst that, performances individually and team-wise weren’t at their best. When you’re not playing that well as a team, it’s hard for individuals to play well.

“I wasn’t at my best in the Six Nations, and I feel I have been wrapped up in that too, but that is how it has panned out.

“Steve wanted to see me playing more towards the end of last season to be included, which is fair enough. That is sport, that is rugby and it can change quickly.

“The team wasn’t playing well and needed change. For now, it isn’t my turn.”

Dingwall’s fall down England’s pecking order came as Bristol Bears’ South Africa-born centre, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, was named in the squad for the first time – but Dingwall said he did not want to “discredit other players”.

He said: “Everyone who is in the squad and the centre positions are really good players.

“I just think that at times different styles and different opinions either favour you or don’t favour you at times and that can change quickly – how the style that coaches want to play suits you.

“I can see how other people could be more suited to what is wanted, but I think if you are playing well enough you get into the squad no matter what.”

Dingwall said that a reflection of a recent conversation with Borthwick was “that things can change quickly, it is about [me] forcing that [through my performances].”

In the autumn series of Nations Championship matches, England play Australia on 8 November, Japan on 14 November and New Zealand on 21 November.