Lawes and Marchant told Premiership form must earn England recalls

Courtney Lawes and Joe Marchant must prove their England recall cases through their early-season performances for Sale, according to senior assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth. The Guardian reported that both players are eligible for international selection again after returning to the English Premiership following spells in France, but neither was included in England's pre-season camp this week.

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Lawes, 37, and Marchant, 30, last played for England at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Both have said they want to revive their international careers after joining Sale this summer. England's autumn squad is due to be named in late October, giving them the opening weeks of the domestic season to make their case.

Wigglesworth welcomed the experience and quality the pair bring back to the league, while stressing that selection would require them to outperform players already in the England group. His position was that adding either man would mean leaving out another strong candidate, placing the responsibility on Lawes and Marchant to establish a clear advantage through their Sale performances.

Lawes retired from international rugby after the 2023 World Cup. He then helped Northampton win the Premiership title before spending two years with Brive in France's second tier. Marchant returns after three seasons at Stade Francais. Their moves to Sale restore their eligibility under England's policy of selecting players based in the domestic league.

Lawes has previously argued that English players competing in France should remain available for the national side. The current criteria continues to exclude overseas-based candidates such as Jack Willis. Wigglesworth described Lawes's decision to return and pursue another World Cup as a significant statement of determination, while stopping short of promising him a place.

England captain Maro Itoje has also returned to the national setup after being rested for the summer fixtures against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina. The Guardian reported that the break followed signs of fatigue during the Six Nations. Attack coach Lee Blackett said Itoje had come back eager and in a good place. With established players returning and competition already present in camp, Lawes and Marchant now have a defined route back: perform strongly for Sale before selectors finalize the autumn group.