England legend Courtney Lawes has called for the end of the overseas player ban for national selection. The 37-year-old, who has 105 caps, recently signed with Sale after two seasons in France. He argues that restricting selection to domestic-based players limits the pool of talent available to head coach Steve Borthwick. Lawes points to stars like Jack Willis, who was named best player in France, as examples of talent currently unavailable. Other English players abroad include Kyle Sinckler, Manu Tuilagi, and Billy Vunipola. While the RFU benefits from keeping players at Premiership clubs, Lawes believes England must adapt to develop the game globally. He acknowledges Borthwick's current approach of requiring players to prove themselves in the Premiership first but insists on broader selection criteria. Lawes, who initially retired after the 2023 World Cup, did not expect to return to international rugby after leaving Northampton.

Other nations like New Zealand and France also restrict selections to home-based players, but rivals such as South Africa and Australia rely heavily on overseas talent. Borthwick has yet to include Lawes or Joe Marchant in his first training camp, instead asking them to demonstrate their form in domestic competition first.