Chiefs trio in England elite squad

Eddie Jones has announced a revised 45-man elite player squad (EPS) - including Exeter Chiefs trio Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jack Nowell and Henry Slade - and named the 33 players who will attend a two-day training camp in Brighton as England begin their preparation for the RBS 6 Nations.

The 33 players will assemble in Brighton from 2-3 January ahead of the opening game of the tournament against France at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 4 February (4.50pm).

Loose-head prop Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby), second-row Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks), back-row forward Mike Williams (Leicester Tigers) and fly-half Alex Lozowski (Saracens), who are all uncapped, are included in the Brighton squad, alongside James Haskell (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Mike Williams (Leicester Tigers), Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) and Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby) who have all recently returned from injury. Matt Mullan (Wasps) also returns to the England set-up having not featured in the autumn.

The final squad for the RBS 6 Nations will be announced on Friday 20 January.

“This short two-day camp in Brighton allows us to do some of the organisational work we need to do for the Six Nations,” said England head coach Jones.

“We have France first-up who are one of the most improved sides in Europe. They should have beaten Australia and could have beaten the All Blacks in November, so they’ll come into the Six Nations with a lot of confidence.

“We’ve got to make sure that we use this training camp to get an understanding of how we’re going to beat France. We want to see a good attitude from the players and, as always, we’re looking for players who are desperate to play for England.

“The thing the struck me about last year’s Six Nations is that sides were scared to lose and we want to make sure in this Six Nations, right from the word go, that we’re daring and we have the courage to play our game.”

33 players attending Brighton training camp from 2-3 January

Forwards

Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks)
Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Teimana Harrison (Northampton Saints) *injury replacement for Sam Jones (Wasps)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Matt Mullan (Wasps)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Tommy Taylor (Wasps)
Mike Williams (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)

Backs

Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Alex Lozowski (Saracens)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Marland Yarde (Harlequins)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

 

45-man elite player squad 

Forward

Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks)
Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Paul Hill (Northampton Saints)
Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Sam Jones (Wasps)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Matt Mullan (Wasps)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Tommy Taylor (Wasps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Mike Williams (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)

Backs

Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Mike Haley (Sale Sharks)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Alex Lozowski (Saracens)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Dan Robson (Wasps)
Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Spencer (Saracens)
Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Marland Yarde (Harlequins)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)