Courtney Lawes, the veteran England cap centurion, advocates for lifting restrictions on selecting overseas players for the national team. At 37, Lawes, who has rejoined Sale Sharks after two seasons at Brive in France, believes that the best players should be available for selection, regardless of their club's location.

Lawes emphasizes the need for England to adapt if they want to grow the game and attract more viewers. He argues:

It's important that you have the best players available for selection. I don't see why you'd limit yourself.

He highlights the talent pool currently playing abroad, including Jack Willis of Toulouse, who was named the best player in France for the 2024-25 season. Other notable players overseas include Tom Willis, Kyle Sinckler, Manu Tuilagi, David Ribbans, Billy Vunipola, Lewis Ludlam, and Junior Kpoku.

While the Rugby Football Union (RFU) provides clubs with central payments and benefits for retaining home-based players, other nations like New Zealand, France, and Ireland maintain a policy of selecting domestic players. In contrast, countries such as South Africa, Australia, and Scotland heavily utilize players based abroad.

Head coach Steve Borthwick has opted to exclude Lawes and fellow Sale teammate Joe Marchant from his initial training camp, advising them to prove themselves in the Premiership first. Lawes, who played a significant role in a recent 50-28 victory over Bath, acknowledges Borthwick's strategy and focuses on regaining form with Sale before considering an England return.