The 7 notable omissions from England's 3-day training squad
Danny Care has been omitted from England’s first training squad of the autumn with Ben Youngs returning after sitting out the July tour to Australia.
Care’s international comeback appears to be over following the 2-1 series victory over the Wallabies having been replaced in the first half of the Sydney decider because of an error-strewn display.
Jack van Poortvliet and Alex Mitchell join Youngs as the scrum-halves in the 36-man squad but Harry Randall, another nine who travelled to Australia, is absent.
Centre Joe Marchant is also culled having failed to impress Down Under but there is a return for Manu Tuilagi, who has recovered from a knee injury.
There is also no sign of Exeter's Henry Slade, who many had projected would return to the squad having overcome an injury lay-up.
Even at this stage of the season Eddie Jones is without a number of senior players because of injuries with George Ford, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, Sam Underhill and Anthony Watson unavailable.
Available for selection but not included among the group who will take part in the three-day camp in London that starts on Sunday are props Kyle Sinckler and Joe Marler.
There is also no room for Wasps skipper Joe Launchbury, who had been tipped for a potential return to the squad due to injuries in the second row.
While not his official Autumn Nations Series squad, it has given an insight into how the Australian is thinking ahead of the Rugby World Cup next year.
Notable omissions: Danny Care, Joe Marchant, Henry Slade, Harry Randall, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Joe Launchbury
Unavailable for selection due to injury: Alfie Barbeary, Nic Dolly, Alex Dombrandt, Charlie Ewels, George Ford, Sam Jeffries, Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe, Courtney Lawes, Sam Underhill, Anthony Watson
England will begin preparations for their four home Autumn Nations Series fixtures in November during the camp, with the squad meeting in Richmond on Sunday 2 October and train at Twickenham Stadium.
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Ben Smith is not regarded by most in the know as a fair "rugby writer" in SA...his negative obsession with the "supposed World Champions" knows no bounds. What he writes about NZ is probably correct but forgets England were also width of an upright away from beating them. Perhaps focus on the good All Black rugby will become and leave out the absolute rubbish comments about the guys in Green.
Go to commentsAgreed. He hasn’t transferred the dominance of one level to the next. He will be a weapon when he does though.
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