Uncapped Sela called up for England Six Nations tilt

England have called up uncapped 20-year-old prop Vilikesa ‘Billy’ Sela for the Six Nations to cover a crop of tighthead injuries, while Exeter number eight Greg Fisilau is rewarded for his fine club form with a place in a competitive back row group.

Elsewhere, Gloucester second row Arthur Clarke, who was ruled out of last year’s Six Nations with injury, but won his first cap against the United States in the summer, is included among the second rows.

Northampton’s uncapped Emmanuel Iyogun, who started both England A fixtures in the autumn, comes in to cover loosehead prop.

Saracens’ Noah Caluori and Northampton pair George Hendy and Ollie Sleightholme miss out on back-three slots with Bath speedster Henry Arundell, Harlequins’ Cadan Murley and the experienced Elliot Daly preferred.

Northampton’s George Furbank, who has played only six matches in the last eight injury-dogged months, is also in.

Leicester’s Adam Radwan’s hopes of inclusion had been ended by an untimely leg injury.

His Tigers’ team-mate Jack van Poortvliet backs up Alex Mitchell and Ben Spencer at scrum-half.

There are injury concerns over centre Ollie Lawrence, wing Tom Roebuck, flanker Ben Curry and fly-half Fin Smith – all of whom will rehabilitate alongside the 36-strong squad in the run-up to their tournament opener against Wales on 7 February.

Loosehead prop Fin Baxter will miss that fixture with a foot injury but should return in time to contribute to the rest of England’s campaign.

Sela will vie with Trevor Davison to cover Joe Heyes on the opposite side of the scrum.

Overall, England head coach Steve Borthwick – whose side are on an 11-match, year-long winning streak – is picking from a position of strength.

Midfield, once an area that lacked depth, now has a clutch of options with Seb Atkinson and Max Ojomoh putting pressure on more established names.

“We’ve picked a squad with a good balance of experience, leadership and exciting potential,” said Borthwick.

“The margins in the Guinness Six Nations are incredibly fine so our aim over the coming days is to come together quickly, prepare thoroughly, and make sure we’re ready to perform.

“If we prepare well and keep demanding the highest levels from one another, it puts us in the strongest possible position when the Championship begins.”

England finished second last year, their best performance since lifting the trophy in 2020.

After taking on Wales at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, they play Scotland at Murrayfield, return home to face Ireland, then travel to Italy and France.

Forwards: Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Arthur Clark (Gloucester), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Trevor Davison (Northampton), Ben Earl (Saracens), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby), Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Vilikesa Sela (Bath Rugby) Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)

Backs: Henry Arundell (Bath Rugby), Seb Atkinson ( Gloucester Rugby), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), George Furbank (Northampton Saints), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)

Rehabilitation in Girona: Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)

Sela was part of England’s 2024 Under-20 World Cup-winning side which produced a generation of outstanding prop prospects.

Asher Opoku-Fordjour, who would have been included but for a shoulder injury, is another, while Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon, Sela’s main competition to fill a senior vacancy, was also part of the squad.

An Achilles tendon injury had already robbed Borthwick of Bath’s Will Stuart, whose rapid improvement last season culminated with selection to the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.

With Stuart and Opoku-Fordjour both out, Borthwick has opted for the 33-year-old scrum specialist Davison and Sela’s abrasive ball-carrying and mobility as possible alternatives to Heyes.

Which he opts for in his matchday 23 will be fascinating. The England coach used his bench cleverly during the autumn to inject experience and energy into the business end of matches.

Davison and Sela each offer one or the other. But not both.

Fisilau, who was born in Plymouth where his Tonga international father Keni played club rugby, has fuelled Exeter’s turnaround with his fine form at the base of the scrum.

The 22-year-old has long been heralded as a future England international and was included in senior training camps back in 2024.

However, he, along with the rest of Exeter’s young team, suffered a miserable campaign last season that saw his Test prospects diminish.

Riding a Chiefs renaissance this year, Fisilau is the beneficiary of Tom Willis’ absence.

The Saracens back row has a central contract with England, but has been exiled from the squad after agreeing a move to Bordeaux-Begles next season, which will make him ineligible for his country.

Fisilau is a different sort of player – lighter in the body and more nimble on the ball.

Yet he has shown up well in the sort of hard-carrying stats which Willis dominates domestically.

Fisilau is third in the number of carries in the Prem this season, the closest forward to category leader Willis. He also gets through a phenomenal amount of work on the other side of the ball, ranking fourth in the league for tackles.

While Borthwick is a big admirer of Leicester’s Emeka Ilione, who is a destructive runner closer in style to Willis, the Tigers man has had relatively little game time compared to Fisilau.

Used mainly as an impact replacement, Ilione has played 80 minutes in only two top-flight games this season.