News about Jonny May

The 25-year-old flanker has not played since the World Cup last autumn, having had major hip surgery. He was initially expected to miss the domestic season, before a rapid recovery raised his and his club's hopes that he could be cleared for a comeback in north London, in a repeat of last year's league final, which Sale have to win to be sure of a top-four finish.

ALEX BYWATER: Ollie Chessum will miss England's crucial tour matches with New Zealand this summer after underdoing successful surgery on a shoulder injury. The Leicester Tigers forward - who can play at both lock and blindside flanker - has emerged as a key figure for club and country since making his international debut in the 2022 Six Nations.

JOE MARLER: At times like this, there is nothing quite like the dressing room. You're with a group of guys who you see at the best and worst times of times, and it's a really special relationship. Our families come and join us, and it feels like a safe place where time never stops. Sam Underhill is expected to start the song after taking over Jonny May's role. There's a lot of mystery that goes into it. Every week, he designs a new line that only gets used if we win. It's constantly being redesigned. Owen Farrell and Mako Vunipola arrived and joined us. Owen didn't say too much because he kept his head down. It was certainly a strange situation for him. Mako made a few remarks about his latest hair cut; he's getting to a point where wearing hats is more appropriate.

CHRIS FOY: England seems to have crossed the road as they brace for a showdown with Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday. They have reached a difficult junction, in fact, all the lights are off, and they don't have a map. When Steve Borthwick took over the national team in December 2022, the buzz word was 'clarity,' and that was achieved with a narrow game-plan at the new World Cup.

ExCLUSIVE: England has a huge advantage over Wales by winning Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, a Cardiff-born Exeter wing, for their Six Nations campaign. After informing the nation of his birth that he would not represent them in the Six Nations, which will begin in four weeks' time, the 21-year-old will join England's squad this week. It's a big blow for Wales and head coach Warren Gatland, as well as a lulland coup for England counterpart Steve Borthwick.

ALEX BYWATER AT THE RECREATION GROUND: Bath's ground workers enlisted help from the Avon Fire & Rescue Service to drain massive spouts of water off the surface to ensure the game could proceed. Storm Henk had put it into question, but the workers did such a good job that the pitch was in excellent shape by kick-off despite the recent heavy rain. Johann van Graan and his Bath crew made it a league double over spirited rivals Gloucester in the West Country derby, ensuring that all the hard work off the field was worthwhile. Victory keeps them hot on the heels of Northampton's leadership. Gloucester beat Bath 64-0 at Kingsholm in April 2022, but the two clubs' fortunes have shifted since then. Bath weren't at their best here, but the team did a good job with man of the match Tom de Glanville scoring twice.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, a defender of Afghanistan, will travel with England's senior squad for the first time this week, but will not play for Wales in the 2024 Championship. In his first full season of Gallagher Premiership rugby, Wing Feyi-Waboso, who is still 21 years old, has impressed with Exeter Chiefs. He was born in Cardiff but through family lineage, he is also eligible for England.

CHRIS FOY: After an epic World Cup finish with a slew of retirements, England is back in a new era. Courtney Laws, Ben Youngs, and Jonny May have all passed away, though Owen Farrell's attention will be on Saracens for the foreseeable future. It could be a very new-look England in the Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on February 3, despite rumors regarding veterans Dan Cole and Billy Vunipola.

CHRIS FOY IN PARIS: England received adulation for a lack of creative spirit, but the team nonetheless won six games out of seven. Steve Borthwick must oversee a Red Rose transition after several veterans are retiring and other players are moving abroad. Despite an impressive third-place finish here, the RFU is aware that a lot of work remains to be done at all levels of the English game, as was evident when union chief executive Bill Sweeney reflected on the World Cup and what lies ahead.

CHRIS FOY IN PARIS: The Pumas are in danger. England is brimming with righteous indignation, and there is every chance that Argentina will be the ones to savor the whirlwind tonight. Any team in the history of Rugby World Cups has so much multi-dimensional energy into one of these pre-show matches, which are often referred to as a bronze final these days. They will unleash a veritable mountain of rage in this consolation contest at the Stade de France, as with the uncertainty in the England camp over being refused a place in the final by the narrowest of margins on tomorrow.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The bronze medal match at a World Cup is the one no one wants to play in. I'm not concerned if England places third or fourth in France. What matters is that Steve Borthwick plays the game as the start of a new age, the chance to press the reset button on England's journey to 2027. I've selected my squad for the 2027 World Cup, and eight of them are playing against Argentina, which is exciting.

CHRIS FOY IN PARIS: Tom Curry will play against Argentina on Friday night in his 50th cap for England as he begins. Since claiming that Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi had been called a "white c**t" by the national team's agonizing 16-15 semi-final loss at the Stade de France last Saturday, the Sale flanker has endured an ordeal. As World Rugby's inquiry into Tom Curry and his family's allegations moves forward, the 25-year-old was named blindside by Steve Borthwick shortly after his club released a statement condemning the "disgusting abuse directed at him and his families."

Jonny May has praised Steve Borthwick as rugby's recreation of the Enigma code cracking during the Second World War. England was on the verge of winning the World Cup final on Saturday, thanks to Borthwick's emergency revival effort. And May said: 'His approach to the game is a little bit like Alan Turing.' If anyone is going to crack the code to rugby, it will be Steve, and he'll be doing well. He's getting closer each week.' He has taken an analytical, evidence-based, scientific, Spock-like approach to the game. If anyone is going to crack it, he's obsessive about it.' We're starting to see how brilliant Steve is, in terms of how he's going to get this team going.'

England is aiming for their second straight Rugby World Cup final on Tuesday, but South Africa is also up for a tough challenge. When they defeated Fiji, Steve Borthwick's side survived a big scare to make it five wins out of five. When South Africa defeated France last weekend, they played out one of the best matches of the tournament.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD - WORLD CUP WINNING COACH: One of my favorite quotes is: "Great teams are made of great people." I've always thought the best players thrived under pressure in my coaching career. I would be putting the most pressure on the team if I were in Steve Borthwick's shoes as England head coach tonight. There will be no major Churchillian address made. I would tell this England squad that if every individual does their jobs properly, we will beat South Africa and guarantee a spot in the World Cup final. For every player and staff member of the Stade de France, there will be a lot of pressure. You do not want to be the one who lets the team down. Every person must win their one-on-one match. England are still strong underdogs, but if they do that, there is every chance of an upset. You are either the chaser or the one being chased in international rugby. This is what makes this game so interesting. The Englanders are usually the ones being chased. Everyone wants to beat England. If we like it or not as a nation, it is not going to change, so we may as well embrace it.

SHAUN EDWARDS - The defence COACH of France is a former English defender. Everyone agrees that England has no chance against South Africa, but I disagree. I think it will be a tense match that may be decided by a single point. Our match against the Springboks on Sunday night was such a close match, and recovering from a game like that is often difficult. England has a good chance because they have a similar style. Steve Borthwick's experience is the line-out, and I am sure he will be planning to stop South Africa's driving mauldron. I haven't been through our match in depth yet - it's still stings - but there are a few key areas that England will investigate.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: South Africa is a hot favourite for their World Cup semi-final with England, but this is a difficult situation to be in. Steve Borthwick's side has a chance of a big upset. It's David vs. Goliath, but we've already seen a lot of horrors in France. England could produce another. It will take a spectacular show and united thinking about pick and tactics to beat the Springboks. Here's a five-point blueprint for beating the Boks.

In a dramatic quarter-final match, NIK SIMON IN MARSEILLE. Steve Borthwick's team pulled off a spectacular comeback from the Pacific Islanders. Owen Farrell kicked 20 points for England, as Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant's tries ensured the 2003 champions made the final four. The victory overturned an embarrassing pre-tournament loss to Fiji at Twickenham, as Borthwick's men continue to defy expectations.

CHRIS FOY: This is it, the moment of truth. With a game that will define this campaign and several careers, the business end of the World Cup for England begins. Steve Borthwick's crew must win to protect names and avoid tumultuous inquests. The quarter-final showdown with Fiji at Stade Velodrome tomorrow demonstrated the sharp divide between a pass mark and a failure. Victory would send the national team into the last four, which was widely believed to be the upper limit of what could be expected of them in those difficult circumstances at this tournament. No doubt that the defeat would be seen as a failure. Whatever happens, Borthwick's England team is secure because he has the complete support of his manageresses at the RFU, but a game that might come as a verdict on the rushed first phase of the recovery effort that he accepted late last year is a huge factor. This year's chaos, upheaval, instability, critique, and turmoil has all contributed to this make-or-break occasion.

Jonny May has lifted the lid on England's World Cup fines scheme, which requires a trip to the patisserie in order to buy cakes for the entire team. If any players step out of line, the winger revealed that veteran prop Joe Marler is the one who controls their kangaroo court. To raise spirits, the players have developed a dice system - and May has reported that flanker Ben Earl could be next in line.

As three of the four UK nations face matches in France over the next two days, sporting enthusiasts are likely to enjoy a weekend of British prowess. Wales will face Portugal in Stade de Nice on Saturday, while Ireland will face Tonga at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes. Thenss of England and Japan are set to meet in Tokyo on Sunday. It's not just the country's rugby fans who will be cheering for the players; families and loved ones will be aided by their families, from family members to spouses. FEMAIL takes a look at the glamorous wives and girlfriends who cheered the British athletes on this weekend.

For England's World Cup opener against Argentina, Sky Bet have earned five price boosts. Both teams have scored 10+ points in each half at 9/1, according to their featured price boost for this match.

Hollie Shearer (pictured in red bikini), 28, began dating England ace Joe Marchant (inset) last year, and the pair seem to be on target to become the sport's new power couple. Although the 6ft, 14-stone center is supposed to light up the World Cup on the pitch, his girlfriend is having fun with it. Miss Shearer is a singer-songwriter with nearly a million listeners on Spotify, alongside a fruitful career with fashion company Pretty Little Thing. Since revealing she was dating the player in August last year, she has gained more than 80,000 followers on Instagram. However, her father did not give her the opportunity of a ringing endorsement. "I'm just glad it's not a footballer," the former England and Newcastle striker joked.

CHRIS FOY IN MARSEILLE: Shortly after England had flown here from their faraway base in northern France ahead of a historic World Cup opener, Steve Borthwick calmly outlined the picks, which were sparking a lot of controversy back home. The national coach was in a defiant mood, both about his team's prospects against Argentina and the names he had selected for the challenging assignment. Alex Mitchell on the scrum-half and Jonny May on the wing had both come from outside the original tournament squad of 33 to earn a spot in the XV. At the age of 36, Dan Cole became a starter. These were calls being debated, dissected, and widely questioned. Borthwick arrived here with the focused look of a man with personal conviction despite continuing 'outside noise' following a training session full of intensity and revived hope in leafy Le Touquet that was largely ignored by the English Channel, unfazed by the continuing 'outside noise'. So he went through it, without fuss or fanfare.