Wednesday 11 January 2012

Stuart Lancaster makes sweeping changes in new-look England squad • England coach names 32-man squad for Six Nations • Overhaul includes nine previously uncapped players

Owen Farrell
The Saracens fly-half Owen Farrell is among nine uncapped players included in Stuart Lancaster's England squad. 
Stuart Lancaster has unveiled a new-look 32-man England squad for theSix Nations, with the interim coach selecting nine uncapped players and making 13 changes from the failed World Cup campaign.
Owen Farrell and his Saracens team-mate Brad Barritt both receive their first senior call-ups, along with the Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson and the Harlequins centre Jordan Turner-Hall.
Northampton provide a quarter of the squad with the uncapped loose forwards Phil Dowson and Calum Clark taking the Saints contingent to eight. The Harlequins prop Joe Marler and the Wasps hooker Rob Webber are both included along with Ben Morgan, the Scarlets No8 who pledged his allegiance to England after turning down an approach from Wales.
Mouritz Botha, Charlie Sharples, Chris Robshaw and Joe Simpson will all be looking to add to the single cap they won under Martin Johnson's regime.
Toby Flood is the most experienced member of the squad with 46 caps, although he is set to miss the start of the Six Nations with a knee ligament injury.
Lancaster turned to a new generation after omitting the senior players Mike Tindall, Nick Easter and Mark Cueto. Delon Armitage and Matt Banahan have both been relegated to the England Saxons squad and there is no place in either squad for Shontayne Hape.
Lewis Moody, Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Thompson have all retired, while Simon Shaw and James Haskell are ineligible for selection under Rugby Football Union rules after signing for overseas clubs. That restriction does not apply to Morgan or Tom Palmer because their respective contracts with the Scarlets and Stade Français predate the RFU's directive.
Lancaster said: "In line with the selection philosophy about starting new era for English rugby, we have taken the chance to make changes and give players opportunities to be part of the journey towards [the Rugby World Cup in] 2015. We have lost some great players who have worn the England shirt with pride and distinction – Lewis, Steve and Jonny – and we should thank them for all they did.
"Others haven't been selected and I have met them and explained the reasons why as we look for the next player to step up in that position to take us forward."
The Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care had been in line for a recall after missing the World Cup through injury but he has been suspended for the tournament following his arrest on suspicion of drink driving.
Andrew Sheridan and Richard Wigglesworth were not considered due to long-term injury and Lancaster has already had to make some temporary changes to his squad.
The Bath lock Dave Attwood, the Saracens full-back Alex Goode, the Leicester second-row Geoff Parling and the Gloucester centre Henry Trinder will join the elite squad as temporary replacements for Flood, Courtney Lawes, Louis Deacon and Manu Tuilagi, who are all set to miss the start of the Six Nations.
Lancaster will name his captain at the end of England's pre-Six Nations training week, which begins on 23 January at West Park Leeds rugby club. England open the defence of their title against Scotland at Murrayfield on 4 February.

England squad for Six Nations

Forwards (18) Mouritz Botha (Saracens), Calum Clark (Northampton), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Dan Cole (Leicester), Tom Croft (Leicester), Louis Deacon (Leicester), Phil Dowson (Northampton), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Lee Mears (Bath), Ben Morgan (Scarlets), Tom Palmer (Stade Français), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Matt Stevens (Saracens), Rob Webber (London Wasps), David Wilson (Bath), Tom Wood (Northampton)
Backs (14) Chris Ashton (Northampton), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Toby Flood (Leicester), Ben Foden (Northampton), Charlie Hodgson (Saracens), Joe Simpson (London Wasps), Charlie Sharples (Gloucester), David Strettle (Saracens), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester), Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester).

England Saxons

Forwards (18) David Attwood (Bath), Chris Brooker (Harlequins), Paul Doran Jones (Northampton), Matt Garvey (London Irish), James Gaskell (Sale), Jamie Gibson (London Irish), Joe Gray (Harlequins), Tom Johnson (Exeter), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Matt Mullan (Worcester), Luke Narraway (Gloucester), David Paice (London Irish), Geoff Parling (Leicester), George Robson (Harlequins), Andrew Saull (Saracens), Henry Thomas (Sale), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester), Nick Wood (Gloucester)
Backs (14) Nick Abendanon (Bath), Anthony Allen (Leicester), Delon Armitage (London Irish), Matt Banahan (Bath), Freddie Burns (Gloucester), Karl Dickson (Harlequins), Alex Goode (Saracens), Jonathan Joseph (London Irish), Ryan Lamb (Northampton), Jonny May (Gloucester), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Henry Trinder (Gloucester), Billy Twelvetrees (Leicester), Micky Young (Leicester)
Source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jan/11/stuart-lancaster-changes-england-squad?newsfeed=true

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