England vs Australia: Nathan Hughes recalled but Danny Care and Zach Mercer miss out on squad

Wasps No 8 returns after serving a six-week ban picked up for tweeting during a disciplinary hearing last month after punching an opponent

Nathan Hughes has gone straight into the mix to start England’s final autumn international against Australia, after being recalled to the squad at the earliest opportunity, but Danny Care, Zach Mercer and Alex Lozowski have all been left out.

Hughes is named in a 28-man squad that will prepare to face the Wallabies at Twickenham after serving a six-week ban, which was initially handed to him as a four-week suspension for punching Gloucester flanker Lewis Ludlow. Two weeks were added after he tweeted “What a joke” during the original hearing – a move that was deemed conduct prejudicial to the game by the Rugby Football Union.

The 27-year-old joins Mark Wilson as England’s options at No 8, meaning there is no place for 21-year-old Mercer, who started in last Saturday’s 35-15 win over Japan. Eddie Jones confirmed on Monday that the Fiji-born back-row is in contention to start, despite his last competitive appearance coming in Wasps’ Premiership defeat by Gloucester on 6 October.

“Nathan did a bit of training yesterday (Sunday) so he’s not bad” Jones said on Monday, although pictures showed Hughes also going through drills with the England camp last Friday. “We’ll wait and see if he could start.”

Both Care and Lozowski also started against Japan as England struggled throughout the opening 40 minutes - having trailed 15-10 at the break - before Jones later threw on his replacements in an effort to turn the scoreboard around.

Chris Ashton is also retained despite limping out of the Japan encounter after half an hour with a right calf injury, with the wing set to undergo a scan later this week.

Australia, meanwhile, are looking to avoid a 14th defeat of the year, although Jones is only focusing on his own side. “They’ve had a tough year, a bit like us, it’s their last game of the year, as it is ours so we’ll both be looking for a winning performance,” he said.

Nathan Hughes has been recalled to the England team (Action Images via Reuters)

Wallabies scrum-half Will Genia is in line to win his 100th cap if he is selected this weekend, and the 30-year-old believes that the 100 per cent record that England have over his side since 2016 is representative of Jones’ influence on the side.

“England know their strengths and they play a winning brand of rugby and that’s something I’ve seen since Eddie has been involved with them,” Genia said.

“They play to their strengths and like the physical battle. They don’t shy away from their strengths, which is something I admire.”

England squad

Forwards: Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors) *, Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs) , Brad Shields (Wasps), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons).

Backs: Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

* Denotes apprentice