Number eight Zach Mercer has been named in England’s first Rugby World Cup training squad, with Harlequins pair Joe Marler and Danny Care also recalled to a 28-player group that assembled at Pennyhill Park on Monday morning.
The initial training squad does not include any players from the four Gallagher Premiership semi-finalists, who are serving five mandatory weeks off and will be phased back in over the next two weeks as Steve Borthwick’s side begin to build towards the tournament in France this autumn.
