Courtney Lawes among the 15 players added to England’s Rugby World Cup training squad
Steve Borthwick has named his England 38-player training squad for the second Rugby World Cup preparation camp.
The players will gather in Brighton on Monday, 19 June, to ramp up preparations for the Rugby World Cup, with 15 players from Premiership semi-finalists Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers joining the squad.
It does not include players from Premiership finalists Sale Sharks and Saracens.
Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers players added
Billy Vunipola, Ollie Chessum and Luke Cowan-Dickie will remain in camp to continue their rehabilitation from injury while Ollie Lawrence and Jack Walker re-join the squad for treatment, having picked up knee and calf injuries, respectively, whilst training at the England Rugby Performance Centre last week.
“After an excellent first week’s training, we are very much looking forward to being in Brighton,” head coach Borthwick said.
“We’re pleased to welcome players from Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers who can now start to integrate themselves into the group, and we look forward to players from Sale Sharks and Saracens joining us in a fortnight.
“The first phase of our preparation continues to focus on ensuring the players are physically equipped for what we need to do in a World Cup campaign. That means the training will be tough and purposeful. The players are rising to the challenge.
“We’ll work hard again this week, and we’ll enjoy some time together off the field too – which is also an important part of our preparation.”
Veterans Dan Cole, Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes are all called up to the squad.
Lewis Ludlam, Alex Mitchell, Fraser Dingwall, Fin Smith, Tommy Freeman and David Ribbans are the other Northampton players who have been called up.
Meanwhile, Leicester’s Joe Heyes, George Martin, Guy Porter, Freddie Steward, Jack van Poortvliet and Anthony Watson are also included.
England’s 38-player Rugby World Cup training squad:
Forwards (20): Jamie Blamire, Dan Cole, Alex Dombrandt, Tom Dunn, Charlie Ewels, Ellis Genge, Joe Heyes, Ted Hill, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Joe Marler, George Martin, Zach Mercer, Beno Obano, Tom Pearson, Val Rapava-Ruskin, David Ribbans, Kyle Sinckler, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill
Backs (18): Henry Arundell, Danny Care, Joe Cokanasiga, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Will Joseph, Joe Marchant, Jonny May, Alex Mitchell, Cadan Murley, Guy Porter, Henry Slade, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Jack van Poortvliet, Anthony Watson, Ben Youngs
England’s Rugby World Cup warm-up fixtures
Saturday 5 August: Wales v England, Principality Stadium (5.30 pm)
Saturday 12 August: England v Wales, Twickenham Stadium (5.30 pm)
Saturday 19 August: Ireland v England, Aviva Stadium (5.30 pm)
Saturday 26 August: England v Fiji, Twickenham Stadium (3.15 pm)