England name Rugby World Cup training squad

Photo: Graham Wilson

Luke Cowan-Dickie has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup through injury, while No.8 Zach Mercer was a high-profile absentee from the 41-man official training squad named by England coach Steve Borthwick on Saturday.

After working for several weeks without players from Premiership finalists Sale and Saracens, Borthwick has drafted in a host of players from the two teams for the next training camp starting on Sunday.

British & Irish Lions hooker Cowan-Dickie will not be among them, however, after it was decided he would not be able to recover from a shoulder injury in time for the tournament, that begins for England against Argentina on Sept. 9. The Exeter forward has 41 caps but has not played any rugby since January due to ankle and shoulder issues.

Number Eight Mercer, who has been ineligible for England since leaving Bath for Montpellier in 2021 when he was named the Top 14 player of the year, was included in last month’s preparation squad as he is due to join Gloucester next season, but has been dropped.

Fellow France-based flanker Jack Willis, was included in the wake of winning the Top 14 title with Toulouse.

There are five uncapped players in the squad – the PremiershipG��s top tryscorer, Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Premiership Breakthrough Player of the Season, Tom Pearson (London Irish), hooker Theo Dan (Saracens), Gloucester prop Val Rapava-Ruskin, and Number Eight Tom Willis, who finished the season with Bordeaux Begles.

Veteran scrumhalf Danny Care is also retained.

“WeG��re excited to be able to bring a full training squad together for the first time and focus on the next stage of our World Cup preparations,” said Borthwick.

“Our preparation camps over the last three weeks have allowed those players who didn’t feature in the Premiership final to start to get physically equipped for a World Cup campaign.

“We hope todayG��s announcement is the start of something special for our supporters, who I know are eagerly anticipating the tournament as much as we are.”

Regarding Cowan-Dickie, Borthwick added: “Despite all his incredible work and progress, LukeG��s shoulder has not improved sufficiently for him to be considered for selection for the World Cup. We wish him a swift recovery and hope to see him back playing very soon.”

While not named in the 41-player squad, Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), and Jack Walker (Harlequins) will continue their rehabilitation and are still in contention for the final 33-player Rugby World Cup squad which will be announced in August.

England will then play Wales twice, Ireland and Fiji in warm-up games.

England training squad

Forwards (23)

Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 6 caps)

Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)

Theo Dan (Saracens, uncapped)

Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 14 caps)

Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)

Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 48 caps)

Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)

Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 19 caps)

Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)

Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)

Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 19 caps)

Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)

George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)

Tom Pearson (London Irish, uncapped)

Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby, uncapped)

David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)

Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)

Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 61 caps)

Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)

Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)

Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)

Tom Willis (Bordeaux Begles, uncapped)

Backs (18)

Henry Arundell (London Irish, 7 caps)

Danny Care (Harlequins, 87 caps)

Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)

Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)

Owen Farrell (Saracens, 106 caps)

George Ford (Sale Sharks, 81 caps)

Max Malins (Saracens, 18 caps)

Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 15 caps)

Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 72 caps)

Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)

Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)

Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 56 caps)

Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 21 caps)

Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)

Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 51 caps)

Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)

Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 55 caps)

Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)

– Reuters