England winger Ollie Hassell-Collins has expressed his openness to representing Wales in the lead-up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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The 25-year-old, who earned two caps for England during last year’s Six Nations, has not played for Steve Borthwick’s squad since.
He told The Telegraph: “I have seen Gatland’s interview.
“I’ve got two caps for England, and obviously I’m English. But if I don’t see anything in the next few years then it’s definitely something that I would consider.
“I would qualify [for Wales] the year of the World Cup – that is, if he still wants me. Wales is still part of who I am.
“My grandma was Welsh and I still have family over there.
“It’s still a part of me – and I’d never turn it down – but for now it’s England for me.”
In a column for The Telegraph, Gatland wrote: “Once a player is capped, they are tied to that country, but as we have seen before, some do not feature again for long periods of time.
“Take Ollie Hassell-Collins for example. He is a player that I would have been keen on selecting for Wales but he decided to go down the England route and was capped against Scotland at the start of last year’s Six Nations and hasn’t been seen in an England shirt since.
“The truth is that I probably would have capped Feyi-Waboso during this Six Nations Championship if he had not opted to commit his future to England but I have to respect his decision. Whether it is something to do with his medical studies, I am not sure.”
FOUR ENGLAND PLAYERS WHO COULD REPRESENT OTHER NATIONS AT THE 2023 RUGBY WORLD CUP
Billy Vunipola to Australia
With Australia set to host the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Vunipola could be a legitimate addition to their squad ahead of the tournament.
Players are eligible to represent the nations of their birth after a three-year stand-down period, and Vunipola, who was born in Sydney, fits this criteria.
Having already earned 75 caps for England since his debut in 2013, Vunipola has been a key figure in England’s recent World Cup campaigns, including the 2019 final and the third-place finish in the 2023 tournament in France.
Vunipola’s last appearance for England was during the 2023 Rugby World Cup, meaning he would be eligible to play for the Wallabies in 2026, when he will be 34 years old. Despite concerns about his age, Vunipola’s upcoming move to France could provide him with the opportunity to rejuvenate his career.
The trend of players finding success in their later years after moving to France for reduced schedules and warmer climates is well-documented, with examples such as England’s Jonny Wilkinson, who went on to win multiple European Cup’s late in his career.