The Rome starter that did not make Eddie Jones' cut
TEAM UPDATE: England coach Eddie Jones has cut his Test week squad from 35 to 25 ahead of this Saturday’s Six Nations Round Three game against Wales at Twickenham.
He omitted four forwards – Alfie Barbeary, Jamie Blamire, Joe Heyes and Joe Launchbury – and six backs – Orlando Bailey, George Furbank, Louis Lynagh, Joe Marchant, Raffi Quirke and Adam Radwan.
Having selected 25 players for last week’s training camp in London, Jones bumped that number up to 35 for two days’ training at Pennyhill – 19 forwards and 16 backs – to get the ball rolling on the countdown to the showdown with the Welsh.
However, he has now reduced that number back down to 15 forwards and ten backs ahead of Thursday’s scheduled team announcement of the matchday 23 to take on Wales, who come into the fixture having won and lost a match in this year’s championship just like England.
This latest update confirmed very good news about Courtney Lawes, who is now fit following his lengthy battle back from a concussion.
However, it was the reverse for Marchant, a starter at No.13 last time out versus Italy who has now lost out with the fit-again Manu Tuilagi back in the mix.
Marchant is the only player from the matchday 23 in Rome to be excluded.
Attack coach Martin Gleeson had reported on Tuesday afternoon that all 35 had trained in the first of two training sessions before the updated squad announcement was published.
“We are all good,” he said.
“Everyone has trained today.
“Big session today [Tuesday] and everyone has pulled through fine. We are in a good spot.”
A fortnight ago, in the midweek cut from 36 to 27 players ahead of the round two game away to Italy, Lawes, Wasps duo Barbeary and Launchbury and surprise uncapped back-row call-up Tom Pearson from London Irish were cut from the forwards with five backs also omitted.
They were Gloucester midfielder Mark Atkinson, Northampton fullback Furbank, wingers Lynagh of Harlequins and Ollie Hassell-Collins of London Irish, and Sale scrumhalf Quirke.
ENGLAND SQUAD
FORWARDS: Ollie Chessum, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Charlie Ewels, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, Bevan Rodd, Sam Simmonds, Kyle Sinckler, Will Stuart.
BACKS: Elliot Daly, George Ford, Max Malins, Jack Nowell, Harry Randall, Henry Slade, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Manu Tuilagi, Ben Youngs.
By Liam Heagney, RugbyPass
