Eddie Jones has named a 36-player squad for England’s summer tour to Australia.
England will travel to Australia on Tuesday [21 June] ahead of their first game against the Wallabies in Perth on Saturday 2 July (11am BST) KO).
Jones has selected 12 players from the weekend’s Gallagher Premiership Rugby finalists, Leicester Tigers and Saracens, including a return for number eight Billy Vunipola after Harlequins star Alex Dombrandt suffered a knee injury in training.
From the South West, Harry Randall is Bristol Bears' only selection with flanker Sam Jeffries dropping out having trained with England for the last couple of weeks, however loosehead Ellis Genge, who will swap Premiership title-winning Leicester for Pat Lam's side this summer, has been called up as expected.
After an impressive display off the bench at centre in England's 21-52 defeat to the Barbarians on Sunday, Exeter's Jack Nowell is selected for the summer tour along with uncapped clubmate Patrick Schickerling. Chiefs captain Luke Cowan-Dickie is considered fit enough to travel having not played a game since suffering a knee injury during the Six Nations. Exeter lock Jonny Hill, who will join Sale this summer, is also picked.
Bath have four men involved with yesterday's try scorer Joe Cokanasiga included along with Sam Underhill, club captain Charlie Ewels and tighthead Will Stuart. Orlando Bailey, who has been training with England since the turn of the year without being capped and featured off the bench against the Baabaas will have the summer off from international duty. There is no place for fellow Bath academy product Max Ojomoh either.
Despite having three players involved at Twickenham on Sunday, just one Gloucester player has made the cut for Australia with winger Jonny May selected to tour having recovered from his knee operation during the early Spring. Hooker Jack Singleton and centre Mark Atkinson are released.
Including Exeter tighthead Schickerling, there are eight uncapped players in the touring party: Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Guy Porter, Jack van Poortvliet and former Bath hooker Jack Walker who is now at Harlequins, along with Henry Arundell and Will Joseph from London Irish who are named as apprentice players.
Following the opening fixture in Perth, England will take on the Wallabies in Brisbane (Saturday 9 July, 11am BST KO) and Sydney (Saturday 16 July, 11am BST KO). All of the games are live on Sky Sports.
England last toured Australia in 2016 where Jones’ side won all three Test matches with a squad that included ten current players – Danny Care, Cowan-Dickie, Owen Farrell, Genge, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, Nowell, Billy Vunipola and Mako Vunipola.
Jones said: “Though we have ten players unavailable due to injury, we have picked a very strong squad capable of winning the series.
“This squad is a real mix of young, talented players and some very experienced, senior players and we’re looking forward to bring the group together.
“This tour will be a great experience for the group and a crucial part of the team’s work towards the Rugby World Cup in 2023. We will continue to develop the base of the squad and how we want to play.
“We’ve put a lot of work into preparation for the tour over the past few weeks but now the hard work really begins when we finally get the squad on the plane and to Australia.”
FULL SQUAD
FORWARDS
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 40 caps)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 30 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 36 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 66 caps)
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 7 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 56 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 93 caps)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 11 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Patrick Schickerling (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 20 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 28 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 61 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 67 caps)
Jack Walker (Harlequins, uncapped)
Jack Willis (Wasps, 3 caps)
BACKS
Henry Arundell (London Irish, uncapped) * apprentice player
Danny Care (Harlequins, 84 caps)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 94 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
Will Joseph (London Irish, uncapped) * apprentice player
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 12 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 69 caps)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 39 caps)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 6 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 10 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 10 caps)
Unavailable for selection due to injury – Nic Dolly, Alex Dombrandt, George Ford, Joe Launchbury, Louis Lynagh, Sam Simmonds, Kyle Sinckler, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi and Anthony Watson
