Bath Rugby centre Max Ojomoh has received a call-up to England's 33-strong squad set to face a France XV in an uncapped match this Friday evening in Vannes. The inclusion offers Ojomoh a significant opportunity to impress, potentially lining up alongside Bristol Bears' Benhard Janse van Rensburg in the midfield, who is also part of the squad.
However, the announcement brings further disappointment for Ojomoh's Bath colleague, Ollie Lawrence. Despite being one of England's 25 centrally-contracted players and having started the autumn victory against New Zealand, Lawrence has been overlooked once more. The 26-year-old made a rapid six-month recovery from a torn Achilles tendon at the start of the current season but has reportedly struggled to regain his peak form, with his only Six Nations appearance this year coming in the 42-21 defeat to Ireland.
The midfield options for England's head coach Steve Borthwick also include Gloucester's Seb Atkinson, alongside Ojomoh and the uncapped, South Africa-born Janse van Rensburg. While Janse van Rensburg was initially thought to be tied to the Springboks through an under-20 appearance in 2016, his eligibility for this uncapped fixture is clear. He is set to complete the five years of residency required for full England Test eligibility after the Nations Championship opener against South Africa on 4 July, making him available for subsequent Test matches against Fiji and Argentina.
Among the forwards, Bath's Ted Hill, who possesses versatility in both the second and back rows, has been included. The 27-year-old's most recent of his five England caps dates back to July 2025 against the United States. Leicester Tigers prop Archie van der Flier, cousin to Ireland and British and Irish Lions flanker Josh, will gain his first experience within the senior England set-up. Saracens teenager Noah Caluori, the Premiership's leading try-scorer this season, is also a contender for a starting spot, with Adam Radwan, Cadan Murley, and Tom Roebuck offering further wing options.
Players from Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs have been excluded from the squad as they prepare for Saturday's Premiership final. Nevertheless, Borthwick will have the option of a powerful Leicester second-row combination in George Martin and Ollie Chessum. With speculation that Maro Itoje might be rested during the summer, a strong showing from this Leicester duo could significantly influence the coach's decision regarding his captain's involvement in upcoming fixtures.
The France XV squad for the fixture will similarly be without players from their Top 14 semi-finalist clubs, including Toulouse, Racing 92, Stade Francais, and Montpellier. Despite this, Bordeaux Begles centre Nicolas Depoortere, who has been sidelined since dislocating a shoulder in March, could feature in midfield alongside his club colleague Yoram Moefana. Wing Theo Attisogbe, boasting 10 tries from 13 Test appearances, is also included for the French side.