England bolters, Steward’s potential switch & a ‘Carewell’

Later this week, England will release a training squad for their tour of Argentina and the United States.

There are some intriguing options pushing hard, especially players from Bath and Northampton, who are preparing for European finals, and those chosen for the British and Irish Lions.

Joe Carpenter, an uncapped full-back, contributed to Sale’s late-season success with another impressive display in the win over Bristol.

Harry Randall had scored a similar try for Bristol in the first half when team-mate Raffi Quirke came off the bench to score a strong try. With a well-weighted cross-field bomb and a zippy service from Fellow nine Jack van Poortvliet, Joe Woodward scored a try for Leicester.

It will be difficult to ignore winger Adam Radwan’s nine tries in nine games since he joined the Tigers in mid-season from Newcastle.

As Gloucester defeated Newcastle, Seb Atkinson skillfully set up Chris Harris and teenage wing Jack Cotgreave for tries and raced away for one of his own.

Tom Willis, the eighth-stringer for the Saracens, addressed some of his frustration with the Lions by scoring a big winner against Northampton.

Ethan Roots, the back rower for Exeter and whose last appearance for England came in March 2024, menacingly against the Harlequins and rattling ribs in the loose.

Will Evans was also pilfering ball onto the floor, which he shared with teammate Jack Kenningham, who leads the league in turnovers.

On Saturday, Tom Dunn celebrated with a landmark. Before sauntering in for the league leaders’ fourth try, he stole the party from Bath when he became the all-time top appearance-maker in Premiership history. He sold Leicester full-back Freddie Steward an outrageous dummy.

Steward has been taken down by much more agile assailants. This season, Grant Williams, Cheslin Kolbe, Grant Gibson-Park, and Jamison Gibson-Park evaded him with unsettling ease. Steve Steven revealed earlier this month on Stick to Rugby that Steve Borthwick, England coach, had advised him to practice one-on-one defense.

Steward also suggested that England have a choice when switching to the inside of the box because he is less quick and agile, and because his strong, rangy running and brave front-on tackling could give him more motivation.

In their careers, Jamie Roberts and Jordie Barrett both made similar transitions into midfield.

However, the Pumas will likely have the most in-form men of all.

Juan Martin Gonzalez, the flanker for the Saracens, has scored eight tries in his previous six games as the ground has firmed up and his quick, lung-burning game has developed.

The 24-year-old was forced to miss half-time on Saturday at Franklin’s Gardens due to a knock, but his team’s defeat gave him more time to recover.

Saracens must defeat a Bath team, who may well rest their front-line stars, and hope for mistakes from two of the teams above them in the final round if they are to continue their campaign into the play-offs, which would leave them in sixth place with their final-gasp, possibly-forward-pass defeat by Northampton.

The play-off combinations are fascinating.

Bristol will likely end up in fourth place if they can do a number on a Harlequins team with nothing to play for in a Super Saturday round of simultaneous kick-offs in two weeks.

With Bath at the Rec in the semi-finals, the result would set the stage for a West Country ding-dong.

Leicester should advance to the other home semi-final against third-placed Sale, who have won five of their past six Premiership games against Newcastle on the final day and travel to Exeter, where they are most likely to face.

A scrum, a middle-field kick, a minute left, and the Stoop chanting his name from the Exeter line, all looked set for a try-sniffing Danny Care’s try that would end his rugby career.

However, that is not how it works. Not typically. Not at this time either.

The former England scrum-half, however, kicked into touch to make the team win rather than seek for some personal glory to end the game and his career on his own terms.

The ending scenes were charming. Before carrying their departing team-mate off the field, Harlequins players sat up and waved him to the side.

The 38-year-old has no de-mob rest, though.