Coles reveals nervy Borthwick call after earning enhanced England contract ahead of World Cup push

Alex Coles has opened up on the anxiety of receiving a call from England head coach Steve Borthwick this summer — a conversation that ended with the Northampton Saints lock being handed his first enhanced Elite Player Squad contract.

Coles, 27, was a fixture in England’s matchday squads throughout last season, adding to his cap tally to reach 22 international appearances. With the Rugby World Cup in Australia now little more than a year away, the timing of the contract upgrade carries obvious significance.

“I was a bit apprehensive because I knew those conversations were going on at the time, so when you get a ring from the boss, it’s always a bit nervy,” Coles said. “It was a really nice conversation. I was pleased, and hopefully it represents him having a bit of trust in me. It doesn’t guarantee anything at all, but it gives you that extra motivation to keep wanting to work hard and trying to cement a place in the team and in the squad.”

Coles acknowledged that representing England at the World Cup is a long-term goal he is actively working towards, but stressed the importance of not allowing that ambition to distract from day-to-day performance at club level. Gallagher Premiership champions Northampton remain his immediate focus.

“I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t in the back of my mind,” he said. “A skill I’ve had to learn is setting long-term goals, and one of those is to play at the World Cup and help England win it, but also not let it cloud the importance of every day. Otherwise, you miss out on that training day, which means your performance at the weekend isn’t as good.”

Closing in on 150 appearances for Saints, Coles is well aware that his place in Borthwick’s World Cup plans will be determined by sustained form in club rugby rather than the contract alone. “It’s really important that I stay present, and that starts with focusing on this weekend,” he added.