Charlie Bracken makes England squad after just 10 Premiership games

Telegraph

3 days ago

Charlie Bracken has been named as one of 16 uncapped players in the latest England training squad ahead of the summer tour of Argentina and USA.
The 21-year-old scrum-half plays in the same position as his father Kyran, who helped England to World Cup glory in 2003.
Charlie, an England Under-20 international, is fast-tracked into Steve Borthwick's senior set-up on the back of just 10 Premiership appearances.
He did come off the bench in each of Saracens' last five league matches of the current campaign and will now help England prepare for their tour as well as a fixture against a France XV at Twickenham on June 21.
Borthwick's latest cohort is due to assemble at Pennyhill Park on Tuesday and train until Friday.
It does not feature players from Bath or Leicester Tigers or any of the England internationals called up by the British and Irish Lions, including Jamie George and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
Also among the newer faces are George Kloska, the Bristol Bears tighthead prop, who started for England A back in February and was among his club's most impressive performers in the Premiership play-off loss to Bath on Friday evening.
Rekeiti Ma'asi-White, the Sale Sharks centre, and Gloucester prop Afolabi Fasogbon both retain their spots, having also attended Pennyhill Park for last month's camp.
Northampton Saints players missed that first get-together because of the Investec Champions Cup final and will be reintegrated this week. Borthwick has picked eight of them, including tighthead prop Trevor Davison, back-rower Tom Pearson, wing Ollie Sleightholme and lock Tom Lockett.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso remains in contention despite not having appeared for Exeter Chiefs at the end of the Premiership campaign, while Chandler Cunningham-South would appear to be available to England after being promoted from a rehabilitation group at the last meet-up.
George Furbank, knocked unconscious in the Champions Cup decider against Union Bordeaux-Bègles in Cardiff, has been classified separately as 'rehabilitation'.
Raffi Quirke, another starter in Sale's semi-final loss to Leicester, and the uncapped Will Porter of Harlequins are the two scrum-halves to complement Bracken. Harry Randall, a casualty of Bristol's defeat in Bath, has been listed as unavailable.
England's full touring squad will be confirmed on June 23.
World Cup winner's son is tidy, tough and dangerous
Just as England are thin on the ground at fly-half because of their representation on the British and Irish Lions tour, so they are digging deep at scrum-half.
Alex Mitchell is away as part of Andy Farrell's invitational squad, while Ben Spencer and Jack van Poortvliet are preparing to go toe-to-toe in the Premiership final.
At least one – and possibly both – of the latter pair will join England for their Tests against Argentina and USA in July, with the unfortunate Harry Randall ruled out.
Steve Borthwick is reasonably well stocked in a pivotal position, yet has seized a chance for further future-proofing.
Alongside Raffi Quirke, talented but slightly scruffy in the Premiership play-off against Leicester Tigers last weekend, and Will Porter, an England A international this season, arrives Charlie Bracken.
The son of Kyran does not just bring a whiff of nostalgia. He is a tidy, tough player with a dangerous turn of pace. His first Premiership try, from the tail of a dominant maul in last month's thrashing of Newcastle Falcons, was smartly taken.
Saracens kick a great deal from the base of rucks, so five bench cameos in succession at the end of a disappointing Premiership campaign tells you everything about how Bracken's core skills are trusted by Mark McCall and the rest of that coaching set-up.
Having flitted back and forth from Ampthill on loan since 2023, the 21-year-old will have been pleased with that progress and has now been handed another opportunity.
The Bracken name is likely to be prominent over the ensuing decade. Jack is a supremely talented wing who helped England U20 to last year's World Championship and is set for a second crack at this tournament. He plundered four tries in Ampthill's 54-43 triumph over Cambridge at the end of May.
Archie McParland and Lucas Friday are two more even younger prospects of whom big things are expected, though both have suffered injuries this term. The former was promoted to the England A squad for the victory over Australia last November despite still being eligible for the Under-20 side.
Porter and Quirke would appear better placed than Bracken to travel to Argentina and USA, but a polished week from the rookie in training at Pennyhill Park could convince Borthwick otherwise.