England boss Eddie Jones has called up Bristol Bears trio Ben Earl, Kyle Sinckler and Max Malins ahead of Sunday’s match with the Barbarians, but fly-half George Ford has pulled out through injury.
Ford has withdrawn from the squad due to a pre-existing Achilles issue and will now play no part in Sunday’s game at Twickenham.
No time frame has been given on when Ford could return, with England playing Italy next week in the final game of this year’s rescheduled Six Nations.
While Ford has withdrawn, England’s numbers have been boosted by the arrival in camp of Earl, Malins and Sinckler.
The trio were on standby to play for Bristol this weekend in Saturday’s Premiership final as there were fears Wasps would have to pull out due to a rise in Covid-19 cases at the club.
Wasps, however, have been given the green light to play on Saturday after their latest round of testing showed no more positive cases.
Bristol players are in turn now available to play for England and back-row forward Earl, full-back Malins and prop Sinckler have been called up.
Earl and Malins, who are on loan at Bristol from Saracens, have shone this season and the latter will hope to play some part on Sunday given fellow full-back Elliot Daly is injured.
