England boss Steve Borthwick has shaken up his centrally contracted squad with just over a year to go until the Rugby World Cup.

Borthwick has announced the 25 players who will receive enhanced player contracts, worth around £150,000, for the 2026-27 season.

Handed an elite deal for the first time are prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour, lock Alex Coles, flanker Guy Pepper, scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet and centre Seb Atkinson.

Flanker Ben Curry, versatile back Elliot Daly, centre Ollie Lawrence and wing Tom Roebuck all miss out on contracts, while France-bound number eight Tom Willis is no longer eligible for England selection.

Curry and Daly have both been hit by long injury lay-offs over the past year, while Roebuck and Lawrence have fallen out of favour after previously being mainstays of the side.

Willis was handed an enhanced contract this time last year after cementing his place in the England set-up at the start of 2025, but he has not played for his country since agreeing a shock move to Bordeaux for next season.

The enhanced contracts were introduced in 2024 as part of the new Professional Game Partnership between the Rugby Football Union and the Prem clubs.

It gives Borthwick the final say over medical and conditioning matters, with the 25 players all receiving a fixed amount of money from the RFU, as opposed to a game-by-game match fee.

It is understood the current match fee is around £21,000 per game for non centrally-contracted players, while the enhanced squad players still receive an extra £7,000 per game for image rights, on top of their fixed annual amount.

The RFU says the contracts “help ensure the best possible preparation for the England Men’s team”, but the new system has not been without teething problems, for example when Exeter and England clashed over the treatment of star wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s shoulder injury in late 2024 and early 2025.

After a long winning run in 2025, England flopped in the Six Nations earlier this year, winning just one match, but recovered to win two out of their three Nations Championship games in July.

Borthwick’s side host Australia, Japan and New Zealand this November in the northern hemisphere leg of the inaugural tournament.

The Football Association has charged Everton forward Martin Sherif with allegedly breaching betting rules over 15 months.

The 20-year-old is accused of placing 61 bets on games between 20 November, 2024, and 12 February, 2026.

“Martin Sherif of Everton FC has been charged with breaching the FA’s betting rules,” read an FA statement.

“It’s alleged that the player breached FA Rule E1.2 in respect of 61 bets placed on football matches between 20 November 2024 and 12 February 2026. Martin Sherif has until Monday 17 August to provide a response.”

The Liberia-born attacker joined Everton‘s youth set-up in 2019 and began training with the first team in early 2025.

Sherif joined League One side Rotherham United on loan last summer, scoring twice in 10 games, but was recalled in December after suffering a series of injuries.

In February he joined Port Vale on loan for the remainder of the campaign, scoring twice in 17 League One appearances as they suffered relegation.

Turkish lightweight world champion Elif Nur Turhan has signed with Most Valuable Promotions, bringing a potential unification fight with Briton Caroline Dubois a step closer.

Turhan was previously signed to Matchroom Boxing but joins MVP as part of a new strategic alliance between the two promotions.

The 31-year-old has won all 14 of her professional bouts, with eight victories by stoppage, and holds the IBF lightweight title.

“Forces have been joined. As female boxers, we will now move forward with greater strength,” Turhan said.

“I am excited for the opportunities that will come my way as I look to win more major world titles.”

Londoner Dubois – also with MVP – will defend her WBC and WBO lightweight titles against American Amelia Moore on 29 August on an all-female card in Birmingham.

American Stephanie Han, the WBA lightweight champion, is also signed to MVP.

“The Golden Turkish Warrior [Turhan] is one of the most exciting fighters in boxing given her immense punching power and her relentless aggressive, pressure heavy style,” MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said.

“Signing Elif will allow us to make some of the most exciting fights in boxing.”

Last month, MVP announced the new partnership with Matchroom, designed to create more opportunities for female fighters across both promotional rosters.

The agreement is expected to create more crossover opportunities, allowing fighters from both promotions to compete on each other’s cards.

Turhan joins Australian two-weight world champion Skye Nicolson in making the move from Matchroom to MVP.

MVP also merged with the Professional Fighters League in July to bring together a roster of more than 300 fighters across boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA).