England omit experienced trio from RWC training squad

England head coach Eddie Jones has announced his initial World Cup training squad, but the 29-man group does not include the experienced Dylan Hartley, Chris Robshaw and Danny Care.

Hartley, who led the Red Rose to the 2016 and ’17 Six Nations titles, has been struggling with injury, while Robshaw and Care have evidently not done enough over the latter part of the campaign to convince Jones that they are worthy of selection.

Meanwhile, Alex Dombrandt, Lewis Ludlam, Ruaridh McConnochie and Val Rapava Ruskin receive their first call-ups to an England senior training squad.

The week is the first of two training camps, held at Pennyhill Park and the Lensbury (30 June-4 July), before the first official Rugby World Cup training camp begins on 7 July at the Lensbury.

Players attending the camp at Pennyhill Park will not have featured in the Premiership semi-finals or final, outside of Ludlam and Rapava Ruskin. Both players and a small number involved in the Quilter Cup match against the Barbarians will be managed to ensure their post-season active rest periods are fulfilled in agreement with Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players Association.

George Kruis (Saracens) and Mako Vunipola (Saracens) will be in camp for treatment.

Jones said: “The first two England training camps are designed to improve individual players’ fundamentals to allow them to compete for a place in the Rugby World Cup squad.”

England’s official Rugby World Cup training squad will be announced by Jones at Japan House on Thursday 4 July.

England will play Wales (11 August) and Ireland (24 August) at Twickenham Stadium and Italy (6 September) in Newcastle as part of the Quilter Internationals, as well as an away fixture against Wales (17 August) in Cardiff.

England will travel to Treviso, Italy for a heat camp from 22 July until 2 August before returning to Italy on 28 August until 5 September.

The squad will also be based in Bristol for a week in July (14-18) and in August (12-16) ahead of England’s away match against Wales. For the two matches against Wales and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium, the squad will train at Pennyhill Park.

England’s 29-man training squad

Forwards: Dan Cole, Tom Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Tom Dunn, Charlie Ewels, Ellis Genge, Joe Launchbury, Lewis Ludlam, Val Rapava Ruskin, Nick Schonert, Brad Shields, Kyle Sinckler, Jack Singleton, Sam Underhill, Mark Wilson

Backs: Chris Ashton, Mike Brown, Joe Cokanasiga, Elliot Daly, George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Jonny May, Ruaridh McConnochie, Dan Robson, Marcus Smith, Ben Te’o, Manu Tuilagi, Anthony Watson, Ben Youngs