Prop blow for England A

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Head coach Mark Mapletoft has confirmed his squad for England A’s encounter with Australia A this Sunday at the Twickenham Stoop.

Bath prop and recent World Rugby Under-20 Championship winner, Vilikesa Sela, has left the squad through injury and will return to his club to rehabilitate.

Gloucester’s Arthur Clark, Hugh Tizard of Saracens and Bath’s Will Muir have been added to the squad to face Rod Seib’s side. Muir was a try scorer in February when England A made its return after eight years in a 91-5 victory over Portugal.

Mapletoft has also invited former U20 players Tarek Haffar (Northampton Saints) and Sean Kerr (Harlequins), as well as current U20 Elite Player Squad members Tom Burrow (Sale Sharks), Charlie Griffin (Bath) and Angus Hall (Saracens), to train with the team.

The squad assembled at the Hazelwood Centre today (12th) to begin preparations for the fixture later this week, with training also set to take place at Richmond Athletic Ground.

England Men A squad:

Forwards: Joe Batley, Arthur Clark, Afolabi Fasogbon, Greg Fisilau, Joe Heyes, Emmanuel Iyogun, Nathan Jibulu, Curtis Langdon, Gabriel Oghre, Tom Pearson, Henry Pollock, Hugh Tizard, Tom Willis.

Backs: Charlie Atkinson, Oscar Beard, Joe Carpenter, Fraser Dingwall (captain), Gabriel Ibitoye, Archie McParland, Will Muir, Cadan Murley, Max Ojomoh, Will Porter, Jamie Shillcock.

Players invited to train in preparation for matchday:

Tom Burrow, Charlie Griffin, Tarek Haffar, Angus Hall, Sean Kerr.