Steve Borthwick names first England World Cup training…

Steve Borthwick names first England World Cup training squad including Zach Mercer, Joe Marler and Danny Care

Number eight Zach Mercer has been named in England’s first Rugby World Cup training squad, with Harlequins pair Joe Marler and Danny Care also recalled to a 28-player group that assembled at Pennyhill Park on Monday morning.

The initial training squad does not include any players from the four Gallagher Premiership semi-finalists, who are serving five mandatory weeks off and will be phased back in over the next two weeks as Steve Borthwick’s side begin to build towards the tournament in France this autumn.

Mercer’s return comes after two outstanding seasons with Montpellier in the Top 14, with the Gloucester-bound back row thought to be well liked by Borthwick.

Sam Simmonds, who will replace Mercer at the French club next year, is understood to have withdrawn himself from World Cup contention after conversations with the England head coach in recent weeks.

Fellow Exeter leaver Jack Nowell also confirmed last month that he would not be part of England’s World Cup plans.

Lock Joe Launchbury has not been considered due to injury, but number eight Billy Vunipola, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and lock Ollie Chessum will all join up with the group to continue their rehabilitation from injuries.

Care’s return comes after his surprise recall to England’s squad last summer for the tour to Australia under Eddie Jones, though the veteran scrum half has not featured internationally since.

However, with all of Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Youngs, Alex Mitchell, Raffi Quirke and Gus Warr unavailable after reaching the Premiership play-offs, Care is brought back into the fold, with Bath’s Ben Spencer and Bristol’s Harry Randall the other scrum-half beneficiaries.

France-based brothers Jack and Tom Willis could also be added to the squad in coming weeks after concluding their Top 14 seasons at Toulouse and Bordeaux respectively.

Uncapped back row Tom Pearson is one of four players included from London Irish after the club’s suspension from next season’s Premiership was confirmed last week.

Gloucester prop Val Rapava-Ruskin is the other potential international debutant named.

Before the World Cup, England face Wales in Cardiff and at Twickenham on 5 and 12 August, before travelling to Dublin to take on Ireland on 19 August. England’s final warm-up fixture is against Fiji at Twickenham on 26 August.

28-player training squad:

Forwards (15)

Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons)

Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)

Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)

Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)

Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)

Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)

Joe Marler (Harlequins)

Zach Mercer (Montpellier Hérault Rugby)

Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)

Tom Pearson (London Irish)