Cipriani heads off-site for extra fitness work
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Eddie Jones has named a 40-man England squad for their second week of training.
The England men’s squad will assemble on Sunday in Bristol for their second Rugby World Cup training camp which will run from the July 14 to 18.
Forty players have been called up with Harlequins players Mike Brown, Alex Dombrandt and Marcus Smith joining the squad alongside Bath Rugby’s Tom Dunn and Ollie Thorley. Danny Cipriani, Sam Underhill and Anthony Watson will do specialised strength and conditioning work separately off-site.
England head coach Eddie Jones said: “Our preparation is about making sure the players peak for the World Cup. It’s not about being ready now for it.
“Some players we feel will benefit now from being away from the camp for a little bit and will do specialised strength and conditioning work.
“We want to keep the squad fresh and alive which is important and we want to make sure there is a little bit of cooperative competition for selection and edge around.”
Jones added about the Bristol camp: “We are in Bristol this week as a bit of a change of scenery and pace. We have got good facilities and will continue to work very hard on particularly our physical conditioning but also our ability to implement our game plan under those physical conditions.
“The ante goes up again in this week. The players who have come in from the Premiership final will increase their contribution and the other guys are in their fourth week and are starting to get near good physical condition.”
England will play Wales (August 11) and Ireland (August 24) at Twickenham Stadium and Italy (September 6) in Newcastle as part of the Internationals as well as an away fixture against Wales (August 17) in Cardiff.
England will travel to Treviso, Italy for a heat camp from July 22 until August 2 before returning to Italy on August 28 until September 5. The squad will also be based in Bristol in August (12-16) ahead of England’s away match against Wales. For the two matches against Wales and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium, the squad will train at Pennyhill Park.
England will begin their Rugby World Cup campaign in Japan against Tonga in Sapporo on Septemeber 22 September, before playing USA Rugby in Kobe on September 26.
England training squad
Forwards:
Dan Cole, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry , Alex Dombrandt, Tom Dunn, Charlie Ewels, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Joe Marler, Ben Moon, Brad Shields, Kyle Sinckler, Jack Singleton, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Harry Williams, Mark Wilson
Backs
Mike Brown, Joe Cokanasiga, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Piers Francis
Willi Heinz, Jonathan Joseph, Jonny May, Ruaridh McConnochie, Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer, Ben Te’o, Ollie Thorley, Manu Tuilagi, Ben Youngs
