ENGLAND winger Ollie Hassell-Collins has admitted he is open to representing Wales ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The 25-year-old earned two England caps at last year’s Six Nations but has not featured for Steve Borthwick‘s side since.
GettyOllie Hassell-Collins (L) is open to joining Wales[/caption]
If he continues to be sidelined from the core squad, Hassell-Collins will have the opportunity to switch international allegiance.
The winger will qualify to play for Wales from February 2026, one year prior to the next Rugby World Cup.
Warren Gatland has already suggested that he would welcome Hassell-Collins into his squad should the Leicester Tigers decide to make the switch.
And Hassell-Collins himself has refused to rule it out.
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.
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“It’s still a part of me – and I’d never turn it down – but for now it’s England for me.”
Wales coach Gatland had been keen on selecting Hassell-Collins before he picked England.
In a column for The Telegraph, he 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.”
Hassell-Collins received his first England call-up in 2021 but did not make his senior debut until February 2023.
He signed for Leicester Tigers the following month.
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