Cunningham-South, Baxter and Freeman: England players to watch in New Zealand

The next fortnight will be one which could end up defining Steve Borthwick’s tenure as England manager.

For their two-Test series against New Zealand could be the difference between establishing a winning side to take through to the next World Cup – in Australia in 2027 – or the realisation that England are not up to scratch against one of the best teams in the world, forcing yet more scrutiny.

But no matter what happens, first in Dunedin and then in Auckland, there are a number of players who will define the next dynasty of the Red Rose.

Chandler Cunningham-South

Chandler Cunningham-South, the Harlequins forward formerly of London Irish, is destined to become an England stalwart.

He is abrasive, rugged and carries hard. It looks as if England trust him with the ball and without it, and he often finds himself on the shoulder of a fellow attacker waiting to take the ball and carry another few metres.

The best thing about the 21-year-old is that it is clear he has not peaked yet. There is so much growth and development in the youngster that he could have a similar impact on England as Maro Itoje has enjoyed in the last decade.

He is playing an exciting brand of rugby at Harlequins and that looks to be translating into his international game – he was a star against Japan two weeks ago.

Tommy Freeman

Looking towards the backs, I have been extremely impressed by the rise of Tommy Freeman.

The Northampton Saints winger is well built and balanced and I think he offers this England side a lot.

Against Japan we saw a lot of his defensive work on show but the lad can attack, too, and he is exciting whenever he gets the ball. 

Another youngster, at 23, Freeman has the ability to cover full-back and centre when needed and will be able to provide ballast for England when they’re forced into injury changes or substitutions. 

He’s a proper player and one who I think will grow into the shirt.

Fin Baxter

This is a monumental month for Londoner Fin Baxter, meanwhile. It’s clear he has been one of the in-form Premiership props but international rugby is a different standard.

On the bench this weekend in Dunedin, Harlequins front-row Baxter could replace his teammate and mentor Joe Marler in the first Test.

He is a stable scrummager and is clearly becoming more intelligent about when he chooses to push, pull and wheel in the set piece.

But those dark arts take time to master and on the international stage you come up against opposition who are in a different class.

He is really exciting, one of the most promising young props we have seen in England for some time, and he will be a handful for the Kiwis.

Whether he can put in a shift when it matters at this level remains to be seen, but what a place and what an opponent to feature against in your first Test. Epic!

Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance. Follow Ollie on Twitter and on LinkedIn @OlliePhillips11