England to 'raise the standard' for Six Nations
SQUAD NEWS: England boss Eddie Jones has confirmed the 26-man training squad that has convened for a second three-day camp at the Lensbury from Thursday until Saturday, October 17.
It includes a dozen uncapped players. In addition, seven players are in England camp with Jones for reconditioning. The squad doesn’t include anyone from either Exeter or Wasps who are in the Premiership final on October 24. Exeter are also involved in this weekend’s Champions Cup final.
Called into the forwards are Tom Curry, Tom Dunn, Ted Hill and Beno Obano in place of Jack Clement, Lewis Ludlow, Alex Moon, Jack Singleton and Mako Vunipola, the prop who is listed as ‘reconditioning’. In the backs, the changes from the opening camp are call-ups for Tom de Glanville and Ollie Lawrence with Nathan Earle, Piers Francis and George Furbank missing out.
Bath scrumhalf Ben Spencer would be one of the most notable names missing from the list of call-ups, while club-mates Ruaridh McConnochie and Joe Cokanasiga are also marked absent.
Jones, who had named a 28-man squad for last week’s camp that became 27 after Francis tested positive for Covid-19, said: “We had a good three-day camp last week working on the basics and developing our cohesion as a group. This week the focus is to raise the standard as we continue our preparation for the Italy game.”
England have six upcoming fixtures this autumn, starting with the uncapped Quilter Cup game against the Barbarians on October 25. Following a trip to Rome to face Italy on October 31 in the final round of the delayed 2020 Six Nations, England will then play four matches as part of the Autumn Nations Cup.
They include internationals at Twickenham against Georgia on November 14 and Ireland on November 21, an away match against Wales on November 28 before returning to Twickenham for a play-off match on December 6.
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England squad:
Forwards
Tom Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Tom Dunn, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Joe Heyes, Ted Hill, Maro Itoje, Simon Kerrod, Beno Obano, David Ribbans, Billy Vunipola, Mark Wilson,
Backs
Ali Crossdale, Elliot Daly, Tom de Glanville, Fraser Dingwall, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Willi Heinz, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Marchant, Jonny May, Alex Mitchell, Ollie Thorley, Ben Youngs.
Reconditioning
Charlie Ewels, Jonathan Joseph, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill, Mako Vunipola, Anthony Watson.
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