England Head Coach Eddie Jones has announced his squad for a three-day training camp in Brighton. The 26 man squad will train at Brighton College from 17 – 19 May.
“The Brighton training camp is a good opportunity for England to get together and train hard ahead of the Wales game and summer tour,” said Jones. “While we will be without those players involved in the Premiership semi-finals it’s crucial that we spend as much time together as possible.
“We have an important game at Twickenham at the end of the month and then a challenging tour to Australia. It’s a challenge that really excites us and we’re looking forward to starting our preparation.
“There’s lots of hard work to be done if we are going to play with the intensity needed to beat southern hemisphere teams. We know the speed of the game in Australia will be considerably higher than the RBS 6 Nations, so this short camp, as well as the preparation time ahead of Wales, is going to be vital to our progression.
“Tour places are still up for grabs and I expect the players in this camp, as well as those involved in the play-offs, to continue to make their case for selection.”
Forwards
Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby)
Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints)
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
Teimana Harrison (Northampton Saints)
Paul Hill (Northampton Saints)
Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Tommy Taylor (Sale Sharks)
Backs
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Mike Haley (Sale Sharks)
Alex Lewington (London Irish)
Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Marland Yarde (Harlequins)
Micky Young (Newcastle Falcons)
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
Micky Young? Didn’t see that coming.
Some interesting selections but seems to be an emphasis on pace and carrying power which boards well.
I’m a bit surprised Ben Morgan didn’t even get into this squad.. especially as Beaumont is out injured and Hughes isn’t eligible yet. I can’t imagine Waldrom is being considered for Aus.. so just Billy V to cover 8, but not for the Eng vs Wales game as he’ll no doubt be in the prem final.
He’s not done a lot lately. Clifford and arguably Harrison cover 8. Only a training squad, mind.
Unless players from the losing semi final sides get brought in too, I believe the team for the Wales match will be picked from this squad, no?
Yeah I suppose so. It’s Wales and any Test should be important, but that match feels oddly insignificant. An unnecessary pre-cursor to the tour.
It’s only the finalists that will miss the Wales test I believe so there will be a far larger selection than this.
It depends how much time Eddie wants with his players. The losing semi finalists would have to integrate very quickly while dealing with the mental blow of being knocked out.
I would expect no more than 2 or 3 losing semi finalists to be involved personally and even then probably off the bench
I’m not so sure, there’s an 8 day gap and most of those that will come in after the semi finals will have played under Jones in the 6 nations.
If I was Jones, I’d want the best possible team out in a test match against Wales, considering they’ll be at full strength.
As well as Morgan, Lee Dickson is another than looks to have been completely shunned by Jones.
Unless there is a reason that Dickson isn’t available, having Micky Young picked ahead of him is a real surprise.
I think Dickson is on his retirement path to be honest.
This season despite being Captain he has spent much of the time playing second fiddle to Kessel and Fotuali’i and at 31 he is no spring chicken.
I am surprised by Morgan omission but he has never quite hit the form he had 2 years ago following his leg break and I think Harrison is an exciting young prospect who can play right across the backrow. Deserves his chance after a couple of decent seasons playing off the bench and a great breakthrough season playing 8
Morgan doesn’t surprise me too much to be fair, nothing about this years form suggests he is a test match player and with Harrison and Clifford there is enough cover for one game.
Dickson only surprised me more based on the options available. Without Chudley, Youngs, Robson or Simpson the scrum half cupboard was pretty bare so to see Micky Young in there over him surprised me a little.
A likely 23 based on this squad alone
Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley, Keiron Brookes, Dave Attwood, Courtney Lawes, Chris Robshaw, Jack Clifford, Teimana Harrison, Danny Care, George Ford, Luther Burrell, Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson, Samesi Rockoduguni, Mike Brown
Kyle Sinkler, Tommy Taylor, Paul Hill, Charlie Ewels, Matt Kvesic, Micky Young, Danny Cipriani, Ollie Devoto
Not sure if he might be tempted to start Devoto to play the Bath backline and have Burrell as cover due to the short time he has with the squad.
Hill as a loosehead…surely there’s someone else. His mate Waller for a start.
Nope Hill is a tighthead
Yeah – so he has three tightheads and one loose head. I think Hill has played some LH, not aware that Sinckler has, so from this group Hill would be coming on for Marler.
Oh I see
Didn’t realise Sinkler was a tighthead too. Good point
Doesn’t Brookes play both sides as well?
True enough. Still, odd that he couldn’t find another LH option. Waller, Auterac maybe.
Both playing well and both better options than a TH cross
Weirder still that it’s perfectly possible that Wasps and Sarries win meaning he isn’t gaining a LH (Mullan and Mako) from the losing semi finalists.
No sign of Sam Underhill in the u20’s squad either. I hope he doesn’t slip through the cracks between the various squads. He deserves to gain some experience with one of the three teams
Underhill has already committed to England (how refreshing for a player to commit publically that he cares little for residency or ancestry and wishes only to play for the country he feels he is from?!?), so there is no need to rush him into the saxons or senior squad. U20s may be a better fit for him and young Mallinder after the debut season.
Malinder is in the u20’s underhill is not which is why i am concerned that no one will select him because they are not communicating properly
I agree that it is refreshing to see that sort of commitment up front and for him to have been so unequivocal about it too.
I’m sure Richard Hill has been over there with him several times?
I wonder if they don’t want to break the Prem based rule for him if they know he is coming back soon anyway and has no intention of playing for Wales?
That to me would make sense, as you know as soon as they make an exception the media will start up their Steffon Armitage fan club again.
Apparently Jones is being stopped from picking him because certain Premier League clubs are vetoing the “exceptional circumstance” clause. Seems very short sighted and autocratic to me. Thankfully, as you say the player has already declared his desire to play for the Red Rose.
Only real surprise for me is Micky Young, but I would still rather have him than Dickson. Personally I think Dickson runs a bit hot and cold whereas Young has been consistent for Falcons all season.
Nice to see that even with the four top teams unavailable for selection, there is still enough talent there to be competitive. Leon’s 23 above is a pretty good team on paper, and would give some top teams a hard time. But also throw any mix from the other teams in there and you would have a very strong team.
I know it’s a SH’s prerogative but I find Dickson’s constant chirping at the ref really distasteful. He seems to prioritise penalties over actually playing a bit of rugby.
Has Haskell been dropped then?
No he’s still with Wasps – this squad doesn’t include those that are playing in the Prem semi finals.
Dom Barrow and Harry Thacker? Also ,I am in total agreement about the lack of a covering t/head. Surely it would be judicious to include Waller or a n other?
Hope Rokoduguni gets a shot. Lanc’s all but ruined his career after chucking him in as a novice v NZ for his 1st test!
Better bet than the limited Yarde IMO.
And will Eddie give Cip a meaningful go, or will he keep him as window dressing, as per Lancaster? Esp so with Farrell trying his best to be the red card king & Ford never having grasped when to retain possession instead of kicking it away for fun.