NEW ENGLAND COACH Eddie Jones has named seven uncapped players in his extended Six Nations squad, with 10 men who featured in the failed World Cup campaign axed.
21-year-old Itoje has been called up. Inpho / Billy Stickland
Inpho / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland
Back rows Josh Beaumont [Sale] and Jack Clifford [Harlequins], centres Elliot Daly [Wasps], Ollie Devoto [Bath] and Sam Hill [Exeter], prop Paul Hill [Northampton], and the prodigious 21-year-old lock Maro Itoje [Saracens] are the new faces.
Among the notable omissions are hooker Tom Youngs, centre Brad Barritt, lock Geoff Parling, scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth, number eight Ben Morgan and back row Tom Woods, all of whom featured in the World Cup.
In-form Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson might also count himself unfortunate not to be involved, while there is no room for Bath’s Kyle Eastmond either.
Chris Ashton, Dylan Hartley and Marland Yarde have been called up by Jones, having missed out on involvement in the World Cup under former boss Stuart Lancaster.
Jones has opted for two scrum-halves in his Elite Player Squad in Danny Care and Ben Youngs, while Owen Farrell and George Ford are the only two out-halves in the group.
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Ashton is back in the frame for England. Inpho / Billy Stickland
Inpho / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland
Manu Tuilagi is part of the squad, but will miss England’s opening Six Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield on 6 February, meaning Bath man Devoto is included as his injury replacement.
“We have selected a squad of players who we think can go to Murrayfield and win,” said Jones. “This is our number one priority, to start with a win, so we have picked a squad which is a mix of experience and potential.
“The long-term strategy for England is to develop a side who can be the most dominant team in world rugby, so we have chosen a lot of new players on the growth we see in them.
“We see these players growing into England players of the future and developing into a side who can be the best in the world. Our aim is to develop a squad where there is depth and competition in every position.”
Jones has not yet named his captain.
England Six Nations squad:
Props:Joe Marler, Mako Vunipola, Paul Hill, Dan Cole, Matt Mullan, Henry Thomas [injury replacement for Kieran Brookes]
Hookers: Dylan Hartley, Jamie George, Luke Cowan Dickie
Second Rows:George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje
Back rows:James Haskell, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Matt Kvesic [injury replacement for Dave Ewers], Jack Clifford, Josh Beaumont
Scrum-halves: Danny Care, Ben Youngs
Out-halves: Owen Farrell, George Ford
Centres: Elliot Daly, Jonathan Joseph, Ollie Devoto [injury replacement for Manu Tuilagi], Sam Hill [injury replacement for Henry Slade]
Back three:Mike Brown, Alex Goode, Chris Ashton, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Marland Yarde.
Eddie Jones has axed 10 of England's World Cup squad for the Six Nations
NEW ENGLAND COACH Eddie Jones has named seven uncapped players in his extended Six Nations squad, with 10 men who featured in the failed World Cup campaign axed.
Back rows Josh Beaumont [Sale] and Jack Clifford [Harlequins], centres Elliot Daly [Wasps], Ollie Devoto [Bath] and Sam Hill [Exeter], prop Paul Hill [Northampton], and the prodigious 21-year-old lock Maro Itoje [Saracens] are the new faces.
Among the notable omissions are hooker Tom Youngs, centre Brad Barritt, lock Geoff Parling, scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth, number eight Ben Morgan and back row Tom Woods, all of whom featured in the World Cup.
In-form Wasps scrum-half Joe Simpson might also count himself unfortunate not to be involved, while there is no room for Bath’s Kyle Eastmond either.
Chris Ashton, Dylan Hartley and Marland Yarde have been called up by Jones, having missed out on involvement in the World Cup under former boss Stuart Lancaster.
Jones has opted for two scrum-halves in his Elite Player Squad in Danny Care and Ben Youngs, while Owen Farrell and George Ford are the only two out-halves in the group.
Manu Tuilagi is part of the squad, but will miss England’s opening Six Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield on 6 February, meaning Bath man Devoto is included as his injury replacement.
“We have selected a squad of players who we think can go to Murrayfield and win,” said Jones. “This is our number one priority, to start with a win, so we have picked a squad which is a mix of experience and potential.
“The long-term strategy for England is to develop a side who can be the most dominant team in world rugby, so we have chosen a lot of new players on the growth we see in them.
“We see these players growing into England players of the future and developing into a side who can be the best in the world. Our aim is to develop a squad where there is depth and competition in every position.”
Jones has not yet named his captain.
England Six Nations squad:
Props: Joe Marler, Mako Vunipola, Paul Hill, Dan Cole, Matt Mullan, Henry Thomas [injury replacement for Kieran Brookes]
Hookers: Dylan Hartley, Jamie George, Luke Cowan Dickie
Second Rows: George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje
Back rows: James Haskell, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Matt Kvesic [injury replacement for Dave Ewers], Jack Clifford, Josh Beaumont
Scrum-halves: Danny Care, Ben Youngs
Out-halves: Owen Farrell, George Ford
Centres: Elliot Daly, Jonathan Joseph, Ollie Devoto [injury replacement for Manu Tuilagi], Sam Hill [injury replacement for Henry Slade]
Back three: Mike Brown, Alex Goode, Chris Ashton, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Marland Yarde.
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Chris Ashton Six Nations Eddie Jones Elliot Daly Josh Beaumont Maro Itoje Ollie Devoto Paul Hill renewal Sam Hill England uncapped