Rugbypass has England back Ojomoh for his first start. Steve Borthwick named the side to face France XV on Friday night, with the selection already showing who is in line for the Nations Championship Tests in July and who is not.
Ojomoh gets his chance
The Bath man comes in after a player of the match performance against Argentina in November, but he was left out of the subsequent Six Nations campaign. This start gives him a direct route back into the frame on the day England begin narrowing the group for July.
George Ford will lead the line at 10, while Marcus Smith provides cover from full-back. That choice points to experience steering the game from the opening slot, with Smith kept close enough to change the picture if needed.
Janse van Rensburg on the bench
Benhard Janse van Rensburg is expected to occupy the 12 channel this summer, and his inclusion on the bench will ruffle some feathers. The Harlequins star has been in and out of the matchday 23 since he lost his spot at the back of the scrum following the 2022/23 season, but his number eight role now gives him a route back towards the starting line-up ahead of the summer Tests.
Jack Kenningham has also been rewarded for his form this season, while Noah Caluori and George Kloska secured starting places. Vilikesa Sela will make his entry from the bench, adding another player with something to prove in a squad built around competition rather than familiarity.
Tizard gives way to Isiekwe
Nick Isiekwe takes Tizard’s spot on the bench, while Maro Itoje is rested this summer and the 24-year-old Leicester player will be watching from the stands. The omission of the young fly-half is the sharpest signal in the group: England have chosen the safer 10 option, and the player who made his solitary appearance against the USA in 2025 must wait again.
England face France XV on Friday night with several places still open before July. Ojomoh has the strongest immediate claim among the callers, because his first England start comes after a November outing that should have moved him on — instead, it took a fresh selection to put him back in the side.
