Ben Earl chasing scratch golf handicap before England's World Cup departure to Australia

Ben Earl has revealed he is racing against a self-imposed deadline to become a scratch golfer before England’s Rugby World Cup campaign begins in Australia next year, with the Saracens No.8 admitting the target is looking increasingly difficult to hit.

Earl, 28, currently carries a 4.6 handicap and has set September 16 — the date Steve Borthwick’s squad land in Australia ahead of the 2027 World Cup — as his cut-off point. He jokes that he has become a “professional golfer who plays a bit of rugby on the side”, though he concedes the ambition may have been a touch optimistic.

“I need to really start focusing,” Earl said. “I’ve got a load of spare time, so I’m keen to play. It’s looking unlikely at the moment. I’ve sort of blown it really, I put a bit too much pressure on myself. We’ll see.”

“The day I picked for it is September 16 and completely by chance that’s the day we land in Australia, so I could be in tears then!”

Earl’s pursuit of the target has been complicated by academic commitments. He has just completed a 15,000-word dissertation on rule changes in rugby as part of a master’s degree in sports directorship with Manchester Metropolitan University, and says the completion of that work frees him to concentrate on his golf. The back-rower also played cricket for Kent as a teenager, underlining a long-standing appetite for sport beyond the rugby pitch.

On the field, Earl has started all eight of England’s Tests so far in 2026 and is expected to retain his place at No.8 when Borthwick names his side for the autumn opener against Australia at Allianz Stadium. The main selection debates surround the openside flanker berth — where Tom Curry, Ben Curry and Henry Pollock are competing — and the second row, with Borthwick weighing up Alex Coles and George Martin to partner Maro Itoje.

In midfield, Henry Slade, Will Joseph and Joe Marchant are contesting a place alongside Seb Atkinson, while fly-half Fin Smith is working to prove his fitness after a calf problem, leaving George Ford and Marcus Smith as potential replacements.

Australia arrive having had an inconsistent 2026, but Earl acknowledged the challenge their breakdown work will pose, particularly given the more attack-oriented nature of the Gallagher Premiership.

“I’ve always found the transition to be manageable,” he said. “The increased competition is a really good thing and I know I can push the envelope a little bit more. It’s higher octane and that’s what we play it for.”