England Training Squad

[Epaminondas Pules]

England head coach Eddie Jones has named a 28-man squad to convene for a three-day training camp.

The squad will meet up at The Lensbury in south west London from Tuesday 6 October to Thursday 8 October.

Eddie Jones said: “Our preparation to build the team for the Italy game starts now. We have a three-day camp this week and another one next week then we’re into the week of our Quilter Cup match against the Barbarians. We’ll be slowly building up, working on the basics and working on team cohesion.

“We’re excited to be back together in camp representing England. This autumn we want to play for the fans and give them something to smile about.”

An updated squad will be confirmed ahead of England’s next training camp from Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 October.

England have six upcoming fixtures this autumn starting with the uncapped Quilter Cup against the Barbarians (25 October, KO 2pm GMT, live on Sky Sports).

Following a trip to Rome to face Italy (31 Oct, KO 4.45pm GMT, live on ITV) in the final round of the delayed 2020 Guinness Six Nations, England will play four matches as part of the Autumn Nations Cup.

Quilter Internationals at Twickenham Stadium against Georgia (14 November, KO 3pm) and Ireland (21 November, KO 3pm), an away match v Wales (28 November, KO 4pm) before returning to Twickenham for a placing match to determine final position in the competition (6 December, KO 2pm). All Autumn Nations Cup games will be live on Amazon Prime.

BACKS
Ali Crossdale, Saracens*
Elliot Daly, Saracens
Fraser Dingwall, Northampton Saints*
Nathan Earle, Harlequins*
Owen Farrell, Saracens
George Ford, Leicester Tigers
Piers Francis, Northampton Saints
George Furbank, Northampton Saints
Willi Heinz, Gloucester Rugby
Joe Marchant, Harlequins
Jonny May, Gloucester Rugby
Alex Mitchell, Northampton Saints*
Ollie Thorley, Gloucester Rugby*
Ben Youngs, Leicester Tigers

FORWARDS
Jack Clement, Gloucester Rugby*
Alex Dombrandt, Harlequins*
Ellis Genge, Leicester Tigers
Jamie George, Saracens
Joe Heyes, Leicester Tigers*
Maro Itoje, Saracens
Simon Kerrod, Harlequins*
Lewis Ludlow, Gloucester Rugby*
Alex Moon, Northampton Saints*
David Ribbans, Northampton Saints*
Jack Singleton, Gloucester Rugby
Billy Vunipola, Saracens
Mako Vunipola, Saracens
Mark Wilson, Newcastle Falcons

* Uncapped players

[Epaminondas Pules]

Not much to read into it really. It is the first training squad, and no players from 'play off' teams picked. Surprised at no Loader or Lawrence, and that they've not taken a quick peek at Steward.

[Puja]

Good to see Heyes getting a look in (and ward off the Welsh). Bit surprised by Simon Kerrod - is he rated by anyone in particular?

No Lewis Ludlam though - typing error to invite Ludlow or is he out of favour?

Puja

[Epaminondas Pules]

Just realised why no Lawrence, or at least a reason why and that cause the Sale game was rearranged for Weds this week.

[Banquo]

Well done Fraser Dingwall, even if it is a bit on the meaningless side.

[Scrumhead]

Kerrod has been good for Quins. Solid enough in the scrum and busy in the loose. Wilco Louw will have a fight on his hands for the starting shirt for us.

I’d put him ahead of Schonert in recent form.

As others have said though, it’s just a training squad and I imagine he’ll be more of a Barbarians pick.

[Mikey Brown]

Yep. Hard to read too much in to that but still odd to see Kerrod’s name along with Francis/Earle returning. Is Crossdale a prospect?

I’m glad it may just be that Spencer and Robson are looking at playoff spots, otherwise it’s hard not to view it as experimentation everywhere other then scrumhalf. Which would be a hilariously Eddie sort of reaction to their media hype.

Hopefully Mitchell is actually there as a serious option.

[fivepointer]

Something of an anticlimax considering the limitations on who could be picked. Presumably the squad will be updated next week following the SF's. I expect a number of this squad wont survive the cut.
There's a few good calls. I like the look of Clement, Ribbans has been a reliable player for a while now and getting Heyes in makes sense. Crossdale has hardly played, so thats a bit of a leftfield pick.
I dont see Kerrod as being anywhere near international standard. I'd have gone with Clarey at Saracens, who really can scrummage, or Stanley at Glos.
Ludlow for Ludlam? I'd have opted for Will Evans over both.
Ben Loader is a bit hard done by and Nott wouldnt have been the worst call up.
I assume Marler and Lawes are unavailable due to injury.

[FKAS]

Surprised Francis is still being considered, hasn't been good enough for some time. Furbank's form has been pretty dire as well. Can Dingwall play 12 would quite like to see if a midfield of him and Marchant would work. Marchant seems to be on fire as well so glad he's in.

I presume this is Eddie really just having a look at some of the fringe and younger players to see how they are in camp and where they are in terms of development. Would have maybe preferred another younger scrum half to go instead of Heinz to compete with Mitchell as back up. Would have liked to have seen Steward in there because he's looked really good for a 19 year old under lots of pressure in an iffy team.

Surprised Crossdale is in but Loader not. Also surprised that Dom Morris isn't in either as he's physical, got some pace, reads the defence very well and hands seem fairly decent.

[Scrumhead]

No Ludlam is odd, although he was severely limping at the end of Saints’ last game so it could definitely be an injury-enforced absence.

I assume Wilson has been included as a vote of confidence that he’s still on the radar. He’s always been good for England so I’m OK with that.

Steward, Loader and Hassell-Collins are all unlucky to be left out.

[Puja]

I presume this is Eddie really just having a look at some of the fringe and younger players to see how they are in camp and where they are in terms of development. Would have maybe preferred another younger scrum half to go instead of Heinz to compete with Mitchell as back up.

Who else is there as a young 9 who isn't involved in the play-offs though? Robson, Spencer, Maunder, Maunder, Randall, Uren, Vellacott - all of the names generally bandied about are all busy for this training camp. And while I don't particularly want Heinz back playing for England, there's far worse players for Mitchell to be training with and learning from.

The only available young 9 is Ben White and I'm not a fan of his anyway - very glad that he's not been picked ahead of Mitchell.

Puja

[Digby]

Announcement isn't far removed from saying there are rugby players in England, some of whom you might even have heard of.

[FKAS]

I presume this is Eddie really just having a look at some of the fringe and younger players to see how they are in camp and where they are in terms of development. Would have maybe preferred another younger scrum half to go instead of Heinz to compete with Mitchell as back up.

Who else is there as a young 9 who isn't involved in the play-offs though? Robson, Spencer, Maunder, Maunder, Randall, Uren, Vellacott - all of the names generally bandied about are all busy for this training camp. And while I don't particularly want Heinz back playing for England, there's far worse players for Mitchell to be training with and learning from.

The only available young 9 is Ben White and I'm not a fan of his anyway - very glad that he's not been picked ahead of Mitchell.

Puja

White at Tigers, Taylor at Saints, Whitely from Sarries take the time to get some development opportunities with them. This squad will change before we actually play games I don't see the point in naming two 30 something scrum halfs. We could ditch Heinz for the short term and still have a 99 cap (plus Lions caps) scrum half in the squad for experience. Heinz isn't an integral part of the squad like say Ford and Farrell.

[Adam_P]

No Ludlam is odd, although he was severely limping at the end of Saints’ last game so it could definitely be an injury-enforced absence.

.

[Banquo]

No Ludlam is odd, although he was severely limping at the end of Saints’ last game so it could definitely be an injury-enforced absence.

.

Assume he's either symptomatic or tested positive then?

[jngf]

Good to see Heyes getting a look in (and ward off the Welsh). Bit surprised by Simon Kerrod - is he rated by anyone in particular?

No Lewis Ludlam though - typing error to invite Ludlow or is he out of favour?

Puja

The tying error theory did cross my mind too when the squad announcement materialised - is Ludlum injured?

[Warrior85]

Has Kerrod massively improved this year? He was useless for Warriors. Poor in the loose, awful defensively and could just about hold his side of the scrum up. Really surprised by his call up

[Stom]

Kerrod is...meh. I mean, he's not terrible, he's an upgrade on Collier, but he's just meh.

If it weren't for Sincks, we'd be moaning about TH a lot more. There's just no decent depth there.

TBH, if you remove the players from Exeter, Wasps, Bath, Sale, Wuss, Briz, it's not a bad squad.

[padprop]

Kerrod is...meh. I mean, he's not terrible, he's an upgrade on Collier, but he's just meh.

If it weren't for Sincks, we'd be moaning about TH a lot more. There's just no decent depth there.

TBH, if you remove the players from Exeter, Wasps, Bath, Sale, Wuss, Briz, it's not a bad squad.

Could easily make the argument that Stuart has a higher ceiling than Sincks so its not all doom and gloom. Brookes and Williams can do a job also in an injury crisis

[Puja]

I presume this is Eddie really just having a look at some of the fringe and younger players to see how they are in camp and where they are in terms of development. Would have maybe preferred another younger scrum half to go instead of Heinz to compete with Mitchell as back up.

Who else is there as a young 9 who isn't involved in the play-offs though? Robson, Spencer, Maunder, Maunder, Randall, Uren, Vellacott - all of the names generally bandied about are all busy for this training camp. And while I don't particularly want Heinz back playing for England, there's far worse players for Mitchell to be training with and learning from.

The only available young 9 is Ben White and I'm not a fan of his anyway - very glad that he's not been picked ahead of Mitchell.

Puja

White at Tigers, Taylor at Saints, Whitely from Sarries take the time to get some development opportunities with them. This squad will change before we actually play games I don't see the point in naming two 30 something scrum halfs. We could ditch Heinz for the short term and still have a 99 cap (plus Lions caps) scrum half in the squad for experience. Heinz isn't an integral part of the squad like say Ford and Farrell.

Youngs has been having an influence on White already and that's mostly what I don't like about him!

Taylor and Whitely will never play for England, unless we somehow have a national scrum-half shortage and are down to our 9th choice. They're not worth putting development into. I would generally add White to that category except that he is still very young, has time to develop, and there must be *something* about him that coaches are seeing and I'm missing.

Frankly, I'd rather development attention was focussed on Mitchell than split the attention to some never weres and a probably never will be.

Puja

[Raggs]

Kerrod is...meh. I mean, he's not terrible, he's an upgrade on Collier, but he's just meh.

If it weren't for Sincks, we'd be moaning about TH a lot more. There's just no decent depth there.

TBH, if you remove the players from Exeter, Wasps, Bath, Sale, Wuss, Briz, it's not a bad squad.

Could easily make the argument that Stuart has a higher ceiling than Sincks so its not all doom and gloom. Brookes and Williams can do a job also in an injury crisis

You could easily make the argument. Think you'd have a lot more trouble defending it or proving it.

[padprop]

Kerrod is...meh. I mean, he's not terrible, he's an upgrade on Collier, but he's just meh.

If it weren't for Sincks, we'd be moaning about TH a lot more. There's just no decent depth there.

TBH, if you remove the players from Exeter, Wasps, Bath, Sale, Wuss, Briz, it's not a bad squad.

Could easily make the argument that Stuart has a higher ceiling than Sincks so its not all doom and gloom. Brookes and Williams can do a job also in an injury crisis

You could easily make the argument. Think you'd have a lot more trouble defending it or proving it.

Time will tell I suppose, could very well to be wrong. Stuart has all the weapons to be a top top international tighthead, he’ll never Sinckler’s passing game or running lines, but his tight carrying is some of the best I’ve seen from an english prop. To be as mobile as he is at his weight is also an anomaly

[Raggs]

Time will tell I suppose, could very well to be wrong. Stuart has all the weapons to be a top top international tighthead, he’ll never Sinckler’s passing game or running lines, but his tight carrying is some of the best I’ve seen from an english prop. To be as mobile as he is at his weight is also an anomaly

He's a very good carrier, but Sinkler isn't bad, and Sinks hands give him the advantage there. Stuart also has enormous endurance, but Sinkler shows the same enormous endurance but at a top international level too.

I like Stuart, but I don't see him with a higher ceiling than Sink.

[Stom]

Could easily make the argument that Stuart has a higher ceiling than Sincks so its not all doom and gloom. Brookes and Williams can do a job also in an injury crisis

You could easily make the argument. Think you'd have a lot more trouble defending it or proving it.

Time will tell I suppose, could very well to be wrong. Stuart has all the weapons to be a top top international tighthead, he’ll never Sinckler’s passing game or running lines, but his tight carrying is some of the best I’ve seen from an english prop. To be as mobile as he is at his weight is also an anomaly

Stuart is very good.

Sinckler is special.

Having that in your locker at international level is beyond useful.

I'm sure Stuart will become a good international, but he's not close to Sinckler, imo.

[Mikey Brown]

We’re definitely in the age you need two full front rows of top quality, so if Stuart is really good enough to push Sinkler for a starting spot I’ll be very happy.