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Zach Mercer and Danny Care have been selected in England’s first World Cup training squad of the summer.
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Number eight Mercer, who will move to Gloucester from Montpellier next season, last played Test rugby in 2018.
But Exeter back-row forward Sam Simmonds – signed by Montpellier as Mercer’s replacement – has ruled himself out of World Cup selection following discussions with England head coach Steve Borthwick.
Simmonds joins another Exeter player – wing Jack Nowell – in making that decision. Nowell is set to join reigning European champions La Rochelle.
Mercer’s stint in France, which included him winning Top 14 player-of-the-season honours, meant he was not eligible for England selection.
Harlequins scrum-half Care, meanwhile, won the last of his 87 England caps on tour in Australia a year ago.
There are also places for Bath scrum-half Ben Spencer in a 28-player group, alongside the likes of Bristol scrum-half Harry Randall, Bath flanker Ted Hill, Quins prop Joe Marler and London Irish flanker Tom Pearson.
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Irish last week filed for administration following their suspension from all club competitions by the Rugby Football Union.
The RFU confirmed that neither Irish’s owner Mick Crossan nor an American consortium planning to buy the club were able to prove they had the finances to compete in the Gallagher Premiership for the 2023-24 campaign.
All four Exiles players in the squad – Pearson, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Henry Arundell and Will Joseph – wanted to be listed on the official squad press release as London Irish players.
Former Wasps lock Joe Launchbury, meanwhile, was not considered due to a minor injury.
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Borthwick’s group, which assembled in Surrey on Monday, does not include players from Premiership semi-finalists Saracens, Sale, Northampton and Leicester, who are on rest periods.
Three players – Saracens number eight Billy Vunipola, Leicester forward Ollie Chessum and Exeter hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie – will also attend the camp to continue their rehabilitation from injury.
Borthwick said: “We are excited to get into camp and begin the first phase of our preparations.
“The World Cup is full of top-quality teams and high-quality players, and we are relishing the challenge in front of us.
“We have lots to get through before our first summer series fixture in August against Wales in Cardiff, so the hard work starts now. We are looking forward to it.”
Borthwick’s men face Wales twice, Ireland and Fiji in August before launching their World Cup campaign against Argentina in Marseille on September 9.
The final England World Cup squad of 33 players will be announced on August 7.
28-player training squad:
Forwards (15)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Zach Mercer (Montpellier Hérault Rugby)
Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
Tom Pearson (London Irish)
Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
Jack Walker (Harlequins)
Backs (13)
Henry Arundell (London Irish)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby)
Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish)
Will Joseph (London Irish)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he always say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
42 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
122 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
122 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
42 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
122 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
42 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments