Former England captain Steve Borthwick is set to be excluded from Martin Johnson's 32-strong England elite player squad for next season.
Thirty year old Borthwick has captained England in 20 of their last 23 Test matches but chose to miss England's June tour due to his knee injury.
In his absence (he also missed England's final Six Nations match) England have improved drastically and secured their first away win over Australia in 7 years.
Northampton lock Courtney Lawes and Gloucester's Dave Attwood stood in for Borthwick and now both are believed to be ahead of the former captain in Johnson's pecking order.
Johnson has stuck with the 57 cap Borthwick through all of the criticism England have been given under the Sarances ca[tain's leadership but as Johnson now has real international-class alternatives and an able captain in Lewis Moody.
Wasps lock Simon Shaw and Tom Palmer of Stade Francais are expected to keep their places in the squad and Borthwick is expected to be named in the 32-man England Saxons squad.
