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No Marcus Smith as England name latest 26-man training squad
By Liam Heagney
England boss Steve Borthwick has named a 26 squad for this week’s fallow week training camp in Brighton following last Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations round three win away to Wales. The new head coach had retained a squad of 26 for last weekend’s round three game in Cardiff, the match day 23 as well as Nick Isiekwe, Cadan Murley and Joe Marchant as emergency cover.
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However, in starting preparations for the March 11 Twickenham clash with France, Borthwick has now opted to release Marcus Smith to get some game time with Harlequins – he had less than a minute off the Principality Stadium bench, while Max Malins is unavailable to train due to an ankle injury and will only join up with the squad this week for rehab work.
Weekend cover players Isiekwe, Murley and Marchant are all released back to their clubs. Ben Earl and David Ribbans are the additional forwards included this week, while Tommy Freeman, George Ford and Jonny May are named in the backs – that is a first inclusion under Borthwick for May.
The currently banned Manu Tuilagi will also train with England, but he isn’t officially listed as part of the squad due to the suspension he received following his recent Gallagher Premiership red card for Sale.
Borthwick said in an RFU statement: “This week we move our training camp to Brighton as we meet up again after last weekend’s win in Cardiff. The performance against Wales was pleasing in a number of important respects. It was good to see the hard work the squad have put in on the training field reflected in a deserved and hard-won victory.
“Reduced fallow week squad numbers, injuries and our wish for some players to have valuable game time minutes with their clubs means that the squad gathered in Brighton has a slightly different feel to it. We are very pleased to welcome back Jonny May.
“The players and coaches alike are looking forward to another three days of focused training, before the full squad meets back up back at Pennyhill Park on Sunday, in anticipation of our continued preparations for the remainder of what is proving to be a magnificent Six Nations tournament”.
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England training squad
Forwards (15):
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 8 caps)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 98 caps)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 3 caps)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 12 caps)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 46 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 75 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 65 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 17 caps)
David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 59 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 77 caps)
Jack Walker (Harlequins, 2 caps)
Jack Willis (Toulouse, 8 caps)
BACKS (11)
Henry Arundell (London Irish, 5 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 104 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
George Ford (Sale Sharks, 81 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 72 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 54 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 20 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 10 caps)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 53 caps)
I was surprised to see May dropped, but also surprised to see him recalled
It would be good for Borthwick to settle on the players he likes, rather than continuing Eddie Jones' policy of bringing players into the squad for one week and then never calling them up again