3 starters against Wales excluded as England name a 25-man squad

England flanker Tom Curry, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and utility back Elliot Daly are the three starters from last weekend’s Guinness Six Nations win over Wales who have been excluded by Eddie Jones from the official squad of 25 named for this week’s three-day training camp in Bristol. 

Jones and his England staff will get down to training this Wednesday afternoon ahead of the March 12 round four Six Nations game versus Ireland and they will do so with a squad rejigged from the 35 players that were called into camp at Pennyhill Park at the start of last week’s matchweek against Wales. 

Thirteen players who were involved in last week’s preparations have been excluded from this week’s on-pitch squad. The six forwards absent are Ollie Chessum, Cowan-Dickie, Curry, Joe Heyes, Joe Marler and Bevan Rodd, and the seven backs left out are Orlando Bailey, Daly, George Ford, Louis Lynagh, Raffi Quirke, Adam Radwan and Manu Tuilagi. 

Jack Nowell, Ryan & Max on England Camp, Six Nations and Post Match Beers & Feeds | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 23

Jack Nowell joins us this week to give us an insight into England camp pre and post the Guinness Six Nations game against Wales. He tells Max and Ryan what’s changed in camp since he was last involved and how the squad is prepping for their next game against Ireland. We also hear about the best post-match feeds around the rugby world, how some of the England squad recently got trapped in a lift and just how much the guys enjoy a post-match beer in the dressing room.

Jack Nowell, Ryan & Max on England Camp, Six Nations and Post Match Beers & Feeds | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 23

Jack Nowell joins us this week to give us an insight into England camp pre and post the Guinness Six Nations game against Wales. He tells Max and Ryan what’s changed in camp since he was last involved and how the squad is prepping for their next game against Ireland. We also hear about the best post-match feeds around the rugby world, how some of the England squad recently got trapped in a lift and just how much the guys enjoy a post-match beer in the dressing room.

Sale powerhouse Tuilagi pulled up lame last Thursday with a hamstring issue having been named to start versus Wales and his late withdrawal resulted in the reconfiguration of the England midfield with Henry Slade moving to No12 and Daly getting promoted from the bench to start at No13. It was thought that Tuilagi’s injury wasn’t serious but he hasn’t been asked to come to Bristol this week and won’t start training at Sale until next week. 

Curry, though, will be with the squad as an unofficial member to work through his graduated return to play protocols after he came off against the Welsh as will Jonny Hill, who will continue his rehab in camp having missed all three championships games so far due to a high ankle issue.

Cowan-Dickie, meanwhile, is waiting to learn the extent of his knee injury from the Wales match. The omission of Ford will free him to get some game time with Premiership leaders Leicester, who visit the omitted Daly’s Saracens on Saturday.

With 13 of last week’s original 35 players not called up this week, Jones has balanced out his squad to make it a 25-strong assembly with the addition of a pair of uncapped London Irish players, prop Will Goodrick-Clarke and winger Ollie Hassell-Collins, as well as bringing in Lewis Ludlow, the Gloucester back-rower who skippered the England team last July against the USA and Canada.

ENGLAND TRAINING WEEK SQUAD
FORWARDS (15)
Alfie Barbeary (Wasps, uncapped)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 5 caps)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 7 caps)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 34 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 64 caps)
Will Goodrick-Clarke (London Irish, uncapped)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 54 caps)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 6 caps)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 69 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 91 caps)
Lewis Ludlow (Gloucester Rugby, 2 caps)
Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 50 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 18 caps)

BACKS (10)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish, uncapped)
Max Malins (Saracens, 13 caps)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 10 caps)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 37 caps)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 4 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 46 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 8 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 8 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 115 caps)