Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly, Theo Dan, Ben Earl, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Max Malins (Saracens), Tom Curry, George Ford, Jonny Hill, Bevan Rodd, Manu Tuilagi (Sale) in; Zach Mercer, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Finn Smith, Alex Mitchell, Tom Dunn, Charlie Ewels, Ted Hill, Joey Heyes cut
Friday 30 June 2023 12:16, UK
Steve Borthwick has called up 14 players to his England Rugby World Cup training squad, confirming Owen Farrell will be captain and the release of nine players.
In addition, Exeter hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie has been ruled out of the tournament having failed to recover from a shoulder injury.
With the mandatory five-week rest period now having finished since the Premiership final, 12 of the 14 additions come from Saracens and Sale Sharks
Champions Saracens have seven players included in fly-half Owen Farrell, back-three utility back Elliot Daly, hooker Theo Dan, back-row Ben Earl, hooker Jamie George, lock Maro Itoje and wing Max Malins.
From Sale, flanker Tom Curry, fly-half George Ford, lock Jonny Hill, loosehead prop Bevan Rodd, and centre Manu Tuilagi are each brought in.
Toulouse back-row Jack Willis, formerly of Wasps, is also included following his Top 14 title win in France, as is brother Tom Wills, who is joining Saracens from Bordeaux.
To make way for the 14 arrivals, nine players from the training camp have been released in Northampton backs Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell, Bath hooker Tom Dunn and lock Charlie Ewels, Leicester tighthead Joe Heyes, Bath back-row Ted Hill and Gloucester-bound No 8 Zach Mercer.
London Irish wing Ollie Hassell-Collins and centre Will Joseph, Bath loosehead Beno Obano, and scrum-halves Harry Randall (Bristol) and Ben Spencer (Bath), were previously dropped from the squad.
The 41-player squad will assemble at The Lensbury on Sunday July 2 for England's first official training camp.
The Premiership's top try-scorer Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Premiership Breakthrough Player of the Season Tom Pearson (London Irish), Saracens hooker Dan, Gloucester loosehead Val Rapava-Ruskin, and No 8 Willis, who finished the season with Bordeaux, have all made the cut.
While not named in the 41-player squad, Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), and Jack Walker (Harlequins) continue their rehabilitation in camp and will still be considered for selection.
England head coach Borthwick told media on Friday...
"We're excited to be able to bring a full training squad together for the first time and focus on the next stage of our World Cup preparations," said Borthwick.
"I am pleased with the balance of the squad, which blends experience with youth.
"I met Owen [Farrell] about 10 days ago and we spent about two hours walking around fields talking about everything we wanted to do with this team. His passion...he's a fantastic leader and players have enormous respect for him.
"This is not a four-year cycle. We need to make sure we have the foundations and the tactical flexibility on top of that. When we arrive in France, there will be certain things the opposition won't expect of us.
"Tom Willis is a very attractive player. He's been playing out in France. Him and Jack [Willis] will have modified training due to the longer French season. I'm really looking forward to working with him.
"Players that have missed out, they need to be ready for an opportunity. In every World Cup I've been involved in - as player or coach - there's always something that happens where someone from outside comes into the squad. So my message is: be ready."
Borthwick will announce his final World Cup training squad at the end of the month, with the final 33-player group for the tournament to be confirmed on August 7 after the first warm-up match against Wales in Cardiff.
The World Cup itself begins in September, with England kicking off their Pool D campaign against Argentina in Marseille on Saturday, September 9.
Forwards (23): Jamie Blamire (Newcastle), Dan Cole (Leicester), Tom Curry (Sale), Theo Dan (Saracens), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Ben Earl (Saracens), Jamie George (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Bristol), Jonny Hill (Sale), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), George Martin (Leicester), Tom Pearson (London Irish), Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester), David Ribbans (Northampton), Bevan Rodd (Sale), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol), Will Stuart (Bath), Sam Underhill (Bath), Tom Willis (Bordeaux), Jack Willis (Toulouse).
Backs (18): Henry Arundell (London Irish), Danny Care (Harlequins), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath), Elliot Daly (Saracens), George Ford (Sale), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Max Malins (Saracens), Joe Marchant (Harlequins), Jonny May (Gloucester), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Guy Porter (Leicester), Henry Slade (Exeter), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester), Manu Tuilagi (Sale), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester), Anthony Watson (Leicester), Ben Youngs (Leicester).
