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Ex England lock Ben Kay believes England’s second row is becoming Steve Borthwick’s toughest selection a year after the 2027 World Cup, with Alex Coles continuing to strengthen his position in Northampton Saints’ 71-48 win over Bath.
Coles, who has started England’s last five Tests, was outstanding at the DPD Stadium in Franklin’s Gardens, scoring a try and helping set up another for Josh Kemeny as Saints came out on top in an incredible 119-point fightback.
The 27-year-old carried in wide channels on numerous occasions, finishing with two line drives, 49 meters and four defenders tackled, while also making 17 tackles and winning a fumble. His short line and pass put Kemeny up before he crossed later in the contest.
It is a significant change from last year, when Borthwick was so short of specialist locks that Chandler Cunningham-South was used as second-row cover on the bench for the Test match. Coles now competes with Maro Itoje, George Martin and Ollie Chessum, with Coles and Chessum also capable of playing on the blindside.
Kay believes the competition could get even tougher, with Courtney Lawes back in the PREM and English qualifications Newcastle Red Bulls striker Max Hicks is also attracting attention following his arrival from Perpignan.
“He’s a bit of a different second row. If you look at (JJ) van der Mescht here, it’s a really good partnership,” Kay said on TNT Sports.
“You have the brutality and brute strength of van der Mescht and then you have almost those five-and-a-half, six players who combine so well in the wider channels, really good hands, good power work and it suits Northampton’s game to a tee.
“It becomes such a difficult decision for Steve Borthwick because he now has four world-class locks. Coles, we’ve seen what he’s done today. Add Ollie Chessum and we know any of those two players can play six. Then you add George Martin, Maro Itoje.
“And then there’s maybe a couple of other people who could be watching from the back row. Courtney Lawes is back in PREM. That’s probably going to be the hardest selection Steve Borthwick will have to make. Max Hicks, for Newcastle, he’s come into PREM and he’s already got great reviews.”