Where Are They Now? Catching Up With Recent England Squad Leavers

Executive Summary

The landscape of the England national rugby union team is in a constant state of evolution, shaped by the strategic vision of Head Coach Steve Borthwick, the relentless cycle of international rugby, and the inevitable career transitions of its players. Each selection period sees established names depart the elite environment, creating space for new talent while prompting questions about the legacy and ongoing journeys of those moving on. This case study examines the post-international pathways of several high-profile England squad leavers from the last two years. We analyse the circumstances of their departures—whether through retirement, selection policy, or pursuit of club opportunities—and track their current endeavours both on and off the pitch. By reviewing their contributions to the Red Rose and their activities since stepping away from the international fold, we gain critical insight into the lifecycle of a modern England rugby player and the lasting impact they have on the team's culture and future prospects.

Background / Challenge

International rugby careers are finite. The physical demands, the intense scrutiny at venues like Twickenham, and the evolving tactical requirements of competitions like the Guinness Six Nations and the Autumn Nations Series create a high-pressure, high-turnover environment. For the England national rugby union team, managing this transition is a perennial challenge. The departure of key figures can create immediate gaps in experience, leadership, and on-field execution. The challenge is twofold: for the players, navigating the shift from the pinnacle of Test rugby to the next chapter of their lives; and for the Rugby Football Union and the coaching team, ensuring the squad’s continuity, preserving its core identity, and successfully integrating the next generation.

Recent years have seen a significant changing of the guard. Some departures have been seismic, involving long-serving captains and iconic figures whose absence fundamentally alters the squad's dynamic. Others have seen valuable squad players, the unsung heroes of campaigns, move on. Each exit represents a strategic challenge for Steve Borthwick: how to honour the service of the departing player while ruthlessly building a team capable of reclaiming trophies like the Calcutta Cup and the Millennium Trophy. Understanding where these leavers are now provides a vital barometer for the health of England’s player development system and the attractiveness of the Red Rose jersey.

Approach / Strategy

Our analysis adopts a multi-faceted strategy to track and evaluate the journeys of recent England squad leavers. We focus on players who were integral parts of the setup in the 2022-2023 period but who are no longer considered active members of Steve Borthwick’s plans for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations and beyond. The selection criteria include formal international retirements, players who have taken up club contracts abroad that effectively rule them out of selection (under the RFU’s current policy), and those whose consistent omission signals a clear strategic shift.

We will examine each player’s profile through a consistent lens:

1. England Tenure: Key statistics, memorable performances, and their role within the squad.


2. Circumstances of Departure: The stated reasons for their exit from the international scene.


3. Current Rugby Endeavours: Their club situation, on-field performance, and any new roles.


4. Life Beyond the Pitch: Business ventures, media work, coaching badges, or philanthropic activities.


5. Legacy & Impact: Their lasting influence on current England players and the team’s style of play.

This structured approach allows for a comparative analysis, highlighting the diverse pathways available to players after their time with England.

Implementation Details

We have identified four emblematic cases of recent England squad leavers, each representing a different type of departure.

1. The Iconic Captain: Owen Farrell
England Tenure: 112 caps, 1,237 points. Captain from 2019-2023. A defining figure of his era, his leadership and competitive fury were synonymous with the Red Rose for over a decade.
Circumstances of Departure: In November 2023, Farrell announced his decision to step away from international rugby to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing, while continuing to play for Saracens.
Where He Is Now: Farrell remains the linchpin at Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership. His form remains world-class, and he has taken on a de facto mentoring role for the club’s younger players. He has signed a long-term contract to join French Top 14 side Racing 92 from July 2024, a move that, under RFU rules, will end his England eligibility. Off the field, he has been vocal in promoting mental health awareness in sport.

2. The Dynamic Winger: Jonny May
England Tenure: 78 caps, 36 tries (second on England’s all-time try-scorer list). A consummate finisher whose electric pace lit up Twickenham for years.
Circumstances of Departure: After being omitted from Steve Borthwick’s 2023 Rugby World Cup squad, May announced his international retirement in February 2024. He cited a desire to give his all to Gloucester and to make way for the new cycle.
Where He Is Now: May continues to be a key player for Gloucester. While his international race is run, his experience is invaluable at the club level. He has also launched a successful podcast, offering candid insights into the life of a professional rugby player, and is actively involved in several charitable initiatives.

3. The Stalwart Lock: Courtney Lawes
England Tenure: 105 caps. Evolved from a devastating blindside flanker into a world-class lock. A physical cornerstone and a leader, particularly in the latter stages of his England career.
Circumstances of Departure: Lawes retired from international rugby after the 2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final, stating he wanted to end at the top and focus on his club and family.
Where He Is Now: Lawes departed Northampton Saints at the end of the 2022/23 season and now plies his trade for Brive in the French Pro D2. His move abroad, like Farrell’s impending switch, places him outside of England selection. He brings a wealth of experience to the French club and has spoken about enjoying a new challenge and a different lifestyle.

4. The Versatile Back-Rower: Jack Willis
England Tenure: 15 caps. A breakdown specialist whose England career was brutally disrupted by a severe knee injury in 2021. He fought back to feature in the 2023 Six Nations Championship.
Circumstances of Departure: Following the collapse of Wasps, Willis secured a contract with Toulouse in France. Despite his outstanding form for the European champions, the RFU’s policy on selecting overseas-based players (with rare exceptions) has meant he has fallen out of the England picture.
Where He Is Now: Willis has become a cult hero at Toulouse, winning the Top 14 and the Champions Cup. He is widely regarded as one of the best openside flankers in European club rugby. His situation continues to fuel debate about the RFU’s selection policy, as his skills at the breakdown are precisely what many pundits believe the England national rugby union team currently lacks.

Results

The post-England journeys of these players reveal clear patterns and measurable outcomes:

Continued High Performance: All four players are maintaining elite performance levels at club level. Farrell’s points tally for Saracens remains prolific, May is a try-scoring threat for Gloucester, Lawes is a leader for Brive, and Willis’s turnover statistics for Toulouse are among the best in Europe. This underscores that departure from the England squad is rarely about a decline in ability.
Drain of Experience: Collectively, these four leavers have taken over 300 caps and a vast reservoir of big-match experience out of the England dressing room. This represents a significant intangible loss for a squad rebuilding under Steve Borthwick.
Pathway Diversity: The data shows a 50/50 split between players remaining in England (Farrell, for now, and May) and those moving abroad (Lawes, Willis, and soon Farrell). This highlights the powerful financial and lifestyle pull of the French and Japanese leagues.
Media & Commercial Engagement: Players like May and Farrell are successfully building their personal brands and contributing to the sport’s narrative through media work, demonstrating savvy career planning for life after rugby.
* Policy Impact: The case of Jack Willis is a stark statistic: one of Europe’s form flankers is unavailable for selection due to geography. This directly impacts England’s depth and competitive options in the back row, a key area of contest in the Six Nations rugby.

Key Takeaways

1. Departure is Not the End: Leaving the England set-up is increasingly a beginning of a new professional phase, not a twilight. Players are extending high-level careers and building their futures on their own terms.


2. The Leadership Void is Real: The simultaneous exit of leaders like Farrell and Lawes creates a vacuum. The onus is now on senior figures like Maro Itoje, Ellis Genge, and Marcus Smith to step up and define the new leadership group under Steve Borthwick. The development of this new hierarchy is a critical subplot for any squad-analysis.


3. The Overseas Dilemma Intensifies: The RFU’s policy is under increasing scrutiny. The sight of in-form English stars excelling in European finals while England seeks solutions in key positions is a persistent tension. The policy may preserve the Premiership’s strength but potentially at the cost of immediate Test match competitiveness.


4. Wellbeing is a Paramount Concern: Farrell’s departure for wellbeing reasons marked a watershed moment. It signals a cultural shift where player welfare is publicly acknowledged as a priority, potentially influencing how future stars manage the pressures of the England jersey.


5. Transition Planning is Crucial: The successful off-field ventures of leavers highlight the importance of holistic career support. The RFU and the RPA’s work in preparing players for life after rugby is as vital as their on-field development. Their journeys can serve as inspiration for new england-rugby-debutants about the breadth of a professional career.

Conclusion

The paths of recent England squad leavers are as varied as their playing styles. From Owen Farrell’s principled stand for wellbeing to Jack Willis’s enforced but triumphant exile in France, each story illuminates the complex ecosystem of modern international rugby. These players have not faded away; they have pivoted, applying the discipline and drive honed at Twickenham to new challenges on foreign fields, in media studios, and in business ventures.

For the England national rugby union team, these departures are not merely losses to be lamented. They are necessary cycles that create opportunity. The space left by Farrell allows a new playmaking voice to emerge. The absence of a breakdown specialist like Willis tests the squad’s adaptability and depth. The challenge for Steve Borthwick and his staff is to ensure the legacy of these leavers is woven into the fabric of the new Red Rose—their professionalism, their resilience, and their devotion to the shirt.

As the team prepares for the next campaign, the stories of those who have recently departed serve as a powerful reminder of the honour, sacrifice, and transience of representing England. Their ongoing successes prove that the end of an international chapter can be the start of another compelling story, one that continues to be intertwined with the fortunes of the team they helped to build. For fans, tracking these journeys adds a rich layer of narrative to the sport, connecting the past, present, and future of England rugby. And for those players currently navigating their own rugby-player-injury-comeback-stories, the reinventions of these leavers offer a blueprint for life beyond the immediate setback, demonstrating that a career in rugby is a marathon with many different, rewarding laps.