Exeter Cheifs duo Greg Fisilau and Rusi Tuima set for England call-ups ahead of New Zealand tour

Greg Fisilau and Rusi Tuima are set to be called up to England’s training camp by coach Steve Borthwick ahead of this summer’s tour of Japan and New Zealand.

The Exeter Chiefs duo have impressed at Sandy Park in the Gallagher Premiership this season and both starred in England A’s 91-5 victory over Portugal earlier this year.

Fisilau and Tuima’s inclusions are a result of the absences of Ellis Genge and Ollie Chessum, with Borthwick assessing his forward options before announcing his 20-player training squad on Sunday.

Borthwick has kept a close eye on 20-year-old Fisilau, who started 14 Premiership matches and played a pivotal role in the club’s run to the quarter-finals of the Investec Champions Cup. 

Tuima, 24, has had trouble with injury of late which forced him to miss the Chiefs’ Champions Cup clash with Toulouse, but also shone for Rob Baxter’s side during the 2023/24 campaign and scored eight tries across all competitions.

The England boss’ final squad will be named on June 10, before they take on Japan at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Then, they will head to New Zealand to play two Tests against the All Blacks.

Players from teams in the Premiership play-offs will not be selected on Sunday, which means those from Saracens, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks and Bath will be added to Borthwick’s final squad in June.

Premiership Player of the Season Henry Slade is expected to join Exeter team-mates Fisilau, Tuima, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Ethan Roots in the provisional squad.

Leicester Tigers' Jack van Poortvliet is set to make his long-awaited comeback after he suffered an ankle injury in a World Cup warm-up game against Wales, while club team-mates George Martin, Joe Heyes, Freddie Steward and Dan Cole are also set for call-ups.

Other players from those clubs outside the top four who are expected to feature include Bristol Bears trio Max Malins, Gabriel Oghre and Harry Randall after they narrowly missed out on the play-offs by two points.

Jamie Blamire and Guy Pepper are also set to be included despite a winless season for Newcastle Falcons, with the latter edging towards a move to six-time Premiership champions Bath this summer.

It is understood that Zach Mercer and Arthur Clark will represent Gloucester following the conclusion of their Challenge Cup final on Friday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Marcus Smith, Fin Baxter and Chandler Cunningham-South are among those expected to represent Harlequins.

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