Simmonds walks away from England's Rugby World Cup campaign

Back row Sam Simmonds has made the difficult decision to withdraw himself from contention for England’s Rugby World Cup squad.

Following in the footsteps of his fellow Exeter Chiefs teammate Jack Nowell, Montpellier bound Simmonds has opted out despite being available for selection by coach Steve Borthwick.

The news came as a shock to fans and pundits alike, considering Simmonds’ impressive performances during the Guinness Six Nations earlier this year. Having featured in every match, his contributions on the field had positioned him as a strong contender for the upcoming World Cup in France.

Speculation surrounding the decision pointed to Simmonds’ recent signing with Montpellier in the Top 14. It appears that discussions with England’s management led to the conclusion that it would be in his best interest to focus on settling into his new club rather than participating in the flagship tournament.

While Simmonds is the second England player to rule himself out, it’s become something of a trend in Wales, where Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tupuric, Ross Moriarty, Cory Hill and Rhys Webb all turning their back on representing their country.

England training squad: Backs – H Arundell (London Irish), D Care (Harlequins), J Cokanasiga (Bath), O Hassell-Collins (London Irish), W Joseph (London Irish), O Lawrence (Bath), J Marchant (Harlequins), J May (Gloucester), C Murley (Harlequins), H Randall (Bristol), H Slade (Exeter), M Smith (Harlequins), B Spencer (Bath).

Forwards – J Blamire (Newcastle), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), T Dunn (Bath), C Ewels (Bath), E Genge (Bristol), T Hill (Bath), J Marler (Harlequins), Z Mercer (Montpellier), B Obano (Bath), T Pearson (London Irish), V Rapa-Ruskin (Gloucester), K Sinckler (Bristol), W Stuart (Bath), S Underhill (Bath), J Walker (Harlequins).