England’s Joe Cokanasiga primed for World Cup after epic gym exploits
If teams were picked based on a player’s prowess in the gym, Joe Cokanasiga would surely be starting for England. But seeing as England head coach Steve Borthwick has not got much else to go by after his side’s poor Six Nations, that might well be what he has to base his selection on as the World Cup approaches.
The Bath winger was filmed recently in the gym while in camp with England and he was putting his 112kg frame to good use by dumbbell pressing 57.5kg in each hand. The 25-year-old produced three reps, which is good for any player, let alone a winger.
This was clearly enough to keep the 14-cap England international in Borthwick’s training squad for a camp in Brighton this week, although fellow winger Ollie Hassell-Collins has missed out on the 38-man squad which now includes players from losing Gallagher Premiership semi-finalists Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers.
Click here to see Cokanasiga in the gym.
England men’s head coach Steve Borthwick has named an expanded 38-player training squad for the second Rugby World Cup preparation camp in Brighton
Players from Premiership finalists Saracens and Sale are not available for selection
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) June 19, 2023
38-player training squad:
Forwards (20)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
Zach Mercer (Montpellier Hérault Rugby)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
Tom Pearson (London Irish)
Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby)
David Ribbans (Northampton Saints)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
Backs (18)
Henry Arundell (London Irish)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints)
Will Joseph (London Irish)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
