Manu Tuilagi and Luke Cowan-Dickie missing from England training
Tom Curry is overcoming the concussion sustained at Twickenham
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Your support makes all the difference.Manu Tuilagi and Luke Cowan-Dickie are missing from England’s training squad for their three-day camp in Bristol this week.
Tuilagi is recovering from a hamstring strain and Cowan-Dickie is waiting to discover how serious is the knee injury incurred in Saturday’s Six Nations win over Wales.
Tom Curry is overcoming the concussion sustained at Twickenham in round three so Lewis Ludlow has been called up as back-row cover.
Alongside Tuilagi, Jonny Hill has been unable to take part in this Six Nations because of a high ankle stress fracture but the Exeter lock is to continue his rehab with England.
Uncapped London Irish prop Will Goodrick-Clarke has been included, but Elliot Daly and George Ford are omitted from the 25-man squad who will begin preparations for the clash with Ireland on March 12.
Eddie Jones has opted to keep Marcus Smith as the only specialist fly-half in camp, so Ford will be present to direct Leicester in Saturday’s match against Saracens.
Daly, meanwhile, has failed to leave his mark at outside centre and so Joe Marchant will be given another chance after being parachuted on to the bench against Wales once Tuilagi had been ruled out.
It points to a midfield trio of Smith, Henry Slade and Marchant taking the field against Ireland in the penultimate round of the Championship.
England’s attack has functioned only sporadically in the opening matches, Smith’s electric play at fly-half the sole encouragement amid the backwards step taken since a successful autumn.
However, Jones’ men remain firmly in title contention ahead of their games against Ireland and France, who will supply the stiffest tests they have faced yet.
England 25-man training squad:
Forwards: A Barbeary (Wasps), J Blamire (Newcastle Falcons), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), C Ewels (Bath Rugby), E Genge (Leicester Tigers), J George (Saracens), W Goodrick-Clarke (London Irish), M Itoje (Saracens), N Isiekwe (Saracens), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton Saints), L Ludlow (Gloucester Rugby), S Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), K Sinckler (Bristol Bears), W Stuart (Bath Rugby).
Backs: G Furbank (Northampton Saints), O Hassell-Collins (London Irish), M Malins (Saracens), J Marchant (Harlequins), J Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), H Randall (Bristol Bears), H Slade (Exeter Chiefs), M Smith (Harlequins), F Steward (Leicester Tigers), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
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