Today Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team took the first step on the road towards this year’s home Rugby World Cup by announcing the ’Extended Training Squad’ that comprises of 50 names in total. The tournament has been at the forefront of our minds for months now and with the finals stages of the domestic season in sight it is almost time to focus purely on England Rugby and the historic tournament that is about to come our way.
For those that were firmly in the camp of the exceptional circumstances clause being utilised this training squad won’t hit the spot however the call has been made and all 50 of names announced today play their rugby in England.
Focusing on the key selection highlights there are individuals that are back in after impressing throughout the domestic season notably Saracens’ wing men, David Strettle and Chris Ashton. Ashton has scored 13 tries in 20 matches and Strettle’s hit rate may be slightly lower but the quality of his finishes have been eye catching. Both wingers will be delighted with their inclusion and the hard work for them starts now for we are well aware that out wide is an areas of death. Christian Wade's omission will turn a few heads , however he feature against the Barbarians and Bath’s Semesa Rokoduguni hasn’t pushed his way back in with Marland Yarde preferred.
Stuart has backed his young guns and rightly so for the form of Maro Itoje and Henry Slade merits their inclusion, age is but a number as Nick Easter continues to show at the other end of the spectrum.
More reaction to come, importantly the words of Stuart Lancaster and his team...
Chris Ashton, Dave Attwood, Brad Barritt, Kieran Brookes, Mike Brown, Luther Burrell, Sam Burgess, Danny Care, Danny Cipriani, Calum Clark, Dan Cole, Alex Corbisiero, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Elliot Daly, Lee Dickson, Kyle Eastmond, Nick Easter, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Alex Goode, Dylan Hartley, James Haskell, Maro Itoje, Jonathan Joseph, Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury, George Kruis, Matt Kvesic, Joe Marler, Jonny May, Stephen Myler, Ben Morgan, Matt Mullan, Jack Nowell, Geoff Parling, Chris Robshaw, Henry Slade, Ed Slater, David Strettle, Billy Twelvetrees, Mako Vunipola, Billy Vunipola, Anthony Watson, Rob Webber, Richard Wigglesworth, David Wilson, Tom Wood, Marland Yarde, Ben Youngs, Tom Youngs
