England men’s head coach Steve Borthwick has named his official training squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup which kicks off in France in September.
Players from Premiership finalists Saracens and Sale Sharks will linked up with a 41-player squad at The Lensbury on Sunday 2 July for England’s first official training camp.
Gallagher Premiership finalists Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Ben Earl (Saracens), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Jamie George (Saracens), Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Max Malins (Saracens), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks) and Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks) are called into the England setup following their mandatory rest period. Back-row forward Jack Willis is also named having recently won the Top 14 title with Toulouse.
One high-profile causality to miss out is new Gloucester signing Zach Mercer who has been left out having returned to the Premiership from Montpellier this summer with a view to earning a place at the World Cup.
Another man who won't be involved in Exeter Chiefs hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie who misses out due to a shoulder injury having trained with the national squad for last three weeks while being in the injured rehabilitation group.
Borthwick said “Despite all his incredible work and progress, Luke’s shoulder has not improved sufficiently for him to be considered for selection for the World Cup. We wish him a swift recovery and hope to see him back playing very soon.”
Bath's Tom Dunn, Charlie Ewels and Ted Hill have also been cut along with Leicester Tigers prop Joe Heyes, while a quartet of Northampton Saints players have been sent back to their club in: Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith.
The squad, which has a total of 1,519 England caps, includes five uncapped players. The Premiership’s top tryscorer, Cadan Murley (Harlequins), is joined by back-row forward and Premiership Breakthrough Player of the Season, Tom Pearson (London Irish), hooker Theo Dan (Saracens), Gloucester Rugby’s loose-head prop Val Rapava-Ruskin, and No 8 Tom Willis, who finished the season with Bordeaux Bègles.
"We’re excited to be able to bring a full training squad together for the first time and focus on the next stage of our World Cup preparations,” said Borthwick.
“I am pleased with the balance of the squad, which blends experience with youth.
“Our preparation camps over the last three weeks have allowed those players who didn’t feature in the Premiership final to start to get physically equipped for a World Cup campaign.
“The attitude of the players has been excellent, and I have seen a group who have wholeheartedly committed to what we have asked of them.
“We hope today’s announcement is the start of something special for our supporters, who I know are eagerly anticipating the tournament as much as we are.”
While not named in the 41-player squad, Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), and Jack Walker (Harlequins) will continue their rehabilitation and are still considered for selection for England’s 33-player Rugby World Cup squad which will be announced in August.
England’s official Rugby World Cup 2023 training squad
Forwards (23)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 6 caps)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)
Theo Dan (Saracens, uncapped)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 14 caps)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)
Ellis Genge ( Bristol Bears, 48 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)
Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 19 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 19 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
Tom Pearson (London Irish, uncapped)
Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby, uncapped)
David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 61 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)
Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)
Tom Willis (Bordeaux Bègles, uncapped)
Backs (18)
Henry Arundell (London Irish, 7 caps)
Danny Care (Harlequins, 87 caps)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 106 caps)
George Ford (Sale Sharks, 81 caps)
Max Malins (Saracens, 18 caps)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 15 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 72 caps)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 56 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 21 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 51 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 55 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)
Rehabilitation (5)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 79 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps)
Jack Walker (Harlequins, 3 caps)
