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Today

10:00

Today

10:00

Today

15:05

England name official World Cup training squad

By Online Editors

04 Jul 2019

Kyle Sinckler hasn't forgotten his roots in London (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

England men’s head coach Eddie Jones has named his official Rugby World Cup 2019 training squad. Thirty-five players will assemble at The Lensbury Hotel next Sunday for England’s first official training camp.

Premiership finalists Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Jamie George (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Spencer (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens) and Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs) return to the England setup following their off-season.

Joe Marler (Harlequins) is named after making himself available for selection. The 29 year-old prop retired from international rugby last September having played 59 Tests for England.

Jones has included four uncapped players in the group. Gloucester’s half-back and captain Willi Heinz is joined by former England under-20 forward Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints), former England Sevens player and Olympic silver medallist Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath) and Saracens’ new signing Jack Singleton.

While not named in the initial 35-man squad, George Kruis (Saracens), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) and Mako Vunipola (Saracens) will continue their rehabilitation in camp and are still considered for selection.

BREAKING | Your 35-man England @rugbyworldcup training squad ?
? https://t.co/YTNUSNu1Kj #RWC2019 #CarryThemHome pic.twitter.com/8oJBmM66ta
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) July 4, 2019

Jones said: “We can’t wait to have the full squad in place and to have players competing for those 31 places. It is a process of building the team up, building the cohesion, the tactical understanding of the team and our adaptability. We will need to get those things right to win the World Cup – and that is our aim.”

On his selection decisions, Jones said: “World Cup selection is a four-year process. We have looked at the squad carefully, tried to build up a squad that has enough experience, attitude and energy to be winners and I think we have that. In the process, we have left out some players who can feel unlucky. For those guys who have missed out, the door is never closed but they have just got to be ready, as you never know when the opportunity comes.”

Following two weeks of England training camps, Jones added: “The last two camps have been a head start for us. It has allowed the guys who didn’t play in the semi-finals or final to get some good conditioning work in and also some fundamental skill work so we expect them to set a high standard when the rest of the squad join us on July 7.

Danny Cipriani stretches at the Thursday morning England training session at the Lensbury Club (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

“The players have come in the best physical condition I have ever seen an England squad. The attitude of the players is that they are excited and hungry, they want to do well for themselves, their family and for their country.”

On Marler’s decision to come out of international retirement, Jones added: “I saw Joe during the Barbarians’ week and he indicated that he had a desire to come back. We have since had a couple of chats and we have given him the opportunity to do that. Now it is up to him to show us what he has got.”

With England’s first official training camp starting on Sunday Jones said: “For the fans, it is the start of the journey so we want you to be with us; we are all in this together. We are looking forward to seeing your support.”

Rumours that Joe Marler was set to come out of Test retirement for RWC proved correct (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images for Barbarians)

Harlequins full-back Mike Brown has missed out, while Saracens’ Alex Lozowski has also been overlooked. The continued absence of Dylan Hartley due to knee injuries also leaves the former captain unlikely to make the World Cup.

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

England will travel to Treviso for a heat camp from July 22 until August 2 before returning to Italy on August 28 until September 5. 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 will begin their Rugby World Cup campaign in Japan against Tonga in Sapporo (September 22, KO 11:15am UK time) before playing USA Rugby in Kobe (September 26, KO 11:45am UK time), Argentina in Tokyo (October 5, KO 09:00am UK time) and France in Yokohama (October 12, KO 09:15am UK time).

ENGLAND’S OFFICIAL RWC TRAINING SQUAD

Forwards
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 85 caps)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 11 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 10 caps)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 37 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 27 caps)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 58 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 71 caps)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 59 caps)
Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs, 8 caps)
Brad Shields (Wasps, 8 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 22 caps)
Jack Singleton (Saracens, uncapped)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby 9 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 41 caps)
Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 17 caps)
Mark Wilson (Sale Sharks, 13 caps)

Backs
Danny Cipriani (Gloucester Rugby, 16 caps)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 4 caps)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 30 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 70 caps)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 55 caps)
Piers Francis (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)
Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby, uncapped)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 40 caps)
Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 45 caps)
Ruaridh McConnochie (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 22 caps)
Ben Spencer (Saracens, 3 caps)
Ben Te’o (unattached, 18 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 32 caps)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 33 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 85 caps)

In camp for rehabilitation
George Kruis (Saracens, 32 caps)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 33 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 53 caps)

WATCH: Part one of the two-part RugbyPass documentary on the many adventures that fans can expect to experience in Japan at this year’s World Cup

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Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

500k registered players in SA are scoolgoers and 90% of them don't go on to senior club rugby. SA is fed by having hundreds upon hundreds of schools that play rugby - school rugby is an institution of note in SA - but as I say for the vast majority when they leave school that's it.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

There is a continued murmur in local circles about reciprocal bi annual tours between SA and Argentine. Whether it's full blooded test tours or development tours or a mixture - ie touring with a "test" 20 and a development 20 the cream of which will be used in tests. We actually really enjoy playing the Argies and I believe they enjoy playing us. It goes back seventy years to the Junior Bok tours to Argentine involving Isaac van Heerden.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour