The British & Irish Lions Jonathan Joseph, James Haskell and Kyle Sinckler are among the high-profile absentees from England’s 33-man training squad with Eddie Jones also omitting Denny Solomona from the get-together in Oxford.
Jones has named the Harlequins teenage fly-half Marcus Smith as well as 11 of England’s 15 Lions but Haskell, who received a yellow card for a spat with Joe Marler in his first appearance of the season last weekend, and George Kruis are absent.
Kruis suffered an ankle injury in Saracens’ first match of the season but Haskell’s omission is notable with Sam Underhill getting the nod. Jones had previously hinted he would rest some of his Lions for the autumn internationals but has called up more than two-thirds of those available for the three-day camp which begins on Sunday.
Solomona has scored three tries in three matches for Sale this season, having won his first two caps over the summer in Argentina, but he was sent home in disgrace from England’s pre-season camp in Teddington last month following a drunken night out with Manu Tuilagi.
“This camp in Oxford is a really positive opportunity for the group to come back together and sharpen our focus and preparation ahead of our first match against Argentina [on 11 November],” said Jones. “This is our most important game this year and we want the players to come away from camp having trained well with a clear plan of how we want to play and win against the Pumas.”
Harlequins’ 18-year-old Smith is part of the squad, who will continue preparations for England’s November fixtures against the Pumas, Samoa and Australia. The omission of his club-mate Sinckler is a surprise considering he was selected in all three Lions Tests in front of his England team-mate Dan Cole while Joseph’s omission is also eye-catching after a bright start to the season with Bath.
Jones did leave the door ajar for the omitted Lions to force their way back into contention for the autumn series. “You have to remember this is a training squad for Oxford, we’ll make selection calls for the autumn further down the line,” he said. “They’re not in the squad for this camp, if things change there’s a possibility they could be in the squad for the Argentina game.
“This is the training squad and these are the players I want to look at. I wouldn’t jump at shadows just yet. Some guys need to work on their games and we’ve had those discussions with them. We don’t think those coming back from injury will benefit from being with England.”
The Bath duo of Underhill and Charlie Ewels, Saracens’ Nick Isiekwe, Sale’s Tom Curry and Harry Williams of Exeter are all selected, having made an impression when winning their first caps during the summer tour of Argentina. Marland Yarde is also in the squad, ahead of Solomona while again there is no place for Bath’s in-form winger Semesa Rokoduguni.
Ben Youngs and Billy Vunipola are included after both withdrew from the Lions tour because of family reasons and injury respectively while Dylan Hartley and Jamie George are joined by the Bath hooker Tom Dunn, who along with Smith is the only uncapped member of the squad, in the front row.
England squad
Forwards Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Tom Dunn (Bath), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Underhill (Bath), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Backs Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
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