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Steve Borthwick has heralded the power and intelligence of Leicester back row Emeka Ilione as England turn their focus away from France-bound Tom Willis.
Ilione, 23, has been included in England's group for a three-day training camp before next month's four autumn internationals.
Willis has been left out after his summer 2026 return to Bordeaux-Begles was announced over the weekend, with that move set to make him ineligible for England selection.
Assessing Ilione, England head coach Borthwick told Rugby Union Weekly: "He's started the season well at Leicester and he's got that versatility to play at eight as well."
There are particular aspects of Ilione's game that appeal to Borthwick.
"He wins those jackal turnovers and concedes very few penalties. That's an incredible strength that he has to compete as hard as he does and do it in a clean way," said the England boss.
"Second, which is not often talked about, is his carry, particularly his carry tight [to the breakdown].
"Most flankers you see carry really well are wider towards edges. You see him able to carry through traffic. He's a very, very powerful player."
Willis' absence means there is not a specialist number eight among the 19 forwards included in this week's get-together.
Saracens' Ben Earl and Northampton's Henry Pollock regularly move into the role, while Chandler Cunningham-South has started at eight in Harlequins' past two games.
Ilione has added both muscle and mindset in recent months, however, telling BBC Radio Leicester last week that he is the "strongest and fittest" he has ever been.
"It's sort of the mindset around when you're carrying," Ilione said. "Having the internal belief that you are a good carrier and that you can get through the contact and that the team needs you to go forward, so you do go forward."
Willis has led the Prem in that regard over the first four rounds.
He has made more carries (65) and beaten more defenders (35) than any other player so far in this campaign. He is also the only forward in the league's top 10 metre-makers (257m, equal fifth).
The 26-year-old appeared in all five matches of England's Six Nations campaign earlier this year and started both summer wins over Argentina.
Borthwick said that that he learned of Willis' decision to move to France, where his brother Jack plays for Toulouse, only shortly before it was made public.
"Tom is a really, really good rugby player and a really good man," said Borthwick.
"He rang me the end of last week and he talked to me about his decision.
"He's spoken probably about it being a really tough decision and one he's been thinking through for a period of time.
"At that point I wished him well for the future.
"I think he understands just how highly I rate him and he also understands why I've decided to go in the direction I have, which is to invest all our time - all the Test match time, all the training time - into players that will be there in two years' time who are aiming to win that World Cup for England."
Borthwick revealed that Noah Caluori, the 19-year-old Saracens wing who has been called up to train with the squad after scoring five tries against Sale in his first Prem start, had been on his radar for some time.
"I think it's probably over a year ago, I was getting sent footage of him and starting to get reports of him and his development plan," said Borthwick.
"He's a player that I think has a point of difference."
Borthwick said that former England captain Owen Farrell - a notable absentee from England's training group - is concentrating on playing for Saracens after his summer move back from Racing 92.
But Borthwick added that the question of whether the 34-year-old had asked to remain out of the England squad was "not really a discussion for right now".
Farrell skipped the 2024 Six Nations to prioritise his and his family's mental well-being before moving overseas and out of international contention for a year.
Borthwick also explained that Farrell's fellow former England captain Chris Robshaw was due to visit the team as part of his filming with Strictly Come Dancing on Tuesday, only to be voted off the programme over the weekend.
"We were all looking forward to having him in camp tomorrow, so we were all voting with our push, we couldn't quite get him over the line!" Borthwick said.
"Lots of respect to him for developing new skills and putting himself in uncomfortable situations."
England's autumn campaign begins against Australia on 1 November, before matches against Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina on the subsequent weekends.
