Wednesday 20 May 2015 17:53, UK
Sam Burgess and Maro Itoje have been named in England's World Cup training squad, but there is no place for Steffon Armitage.
Stuart Lancaster has selected seven uncapped players in his 50-man squad but the RFU has decided not to invoke an exceptional circumstances clause for Toulon flanker Armitage and European Player of the Year Nick Abendanon.
Rugby league convert Burgess is included after impressing for Bath since his move from centre to the back row while Itoje, who captained England U20s to World Cup glory last year, is also given the nod.
Exeter Chiefs duo Henry Slade and Luke Cowan-Dickie and Wasps centre Elliot Daly have been rewarded for their good form this season, as have Saracens wings Chris Ashton and David Strettle.
Lancaster has also included forwards Alex Corbisiero, Joe Launchbury, Ben Morgan and David Wilson, who missed the Six Nations through injury.
The 50-man group will meet up at Pennyhill Park on Monday, June 22 to begin preparing for the tournament which starts against Fiji at Twickenham Stadium on September 18.
England will also face France home and away and Ireland at Twickenham as part of the QBE Internationals as they build towards RWC 2015.
England head coach Lancaster said: “There are a lot of experienced internationals within the squad with the likes of Chris Ashton and David Strettle, who are in great form, returning and it’s also good to have young players like Luke Cowan-Dickie, Elliot Daly, Maro Itoje and Henry Slade in there who have come through our player development pathway and had great seasons for their clubs.
“Ben Foden, Joe Simpson and Tom Croft have not been included at this stage due to ongoing rehabilitation from injury but will hopefully come into consideration nearer the tournament.
“A number of this 50-man squad, such as Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly, Danny Cipriani and Marland Yarde will be involved in the England XV side playing the Barbarians on May 31 following the Premiership semi-finals. There will also be opportunities for the likes of Dave Ewers and Christian Wade who just missed out on the initial selection but could come back in further down the line.”
The England squad to play the Barbarians will be announced at 5pm on Sunday once the Aviva Premiership finalists are known as a number of players from the losing semi-finalists could be involved.
Players from Gloucester would also not be considered should they reach the European Rugby Champions Cup qualification final.
This training squad is set to be reduced prior to the training camp in Denver and subsequently reduced again as the QBE Internationals approach, with the final 31 players for the Rugby World Cup being announced by the August 31 deadline.
England Rugby World Cup training squad: Chris Ashton (Saracens), Dave Attwood (Bath), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Sam Burgess (Bath), Danny Care (Harlequins), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Calum Clark (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (Northampton Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Alex Goode (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), George Kruis (Saracens), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Jonny May (Gloucester), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers), David Strettle (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Anthony Watson (Bath), Rob Webber (Bath), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), David Wilson (Bath), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
