Care and Marler handed World Cup life lines by England
Harlequins duo Danny Care and Joe Marler have been handed World Cup lifelines by England head coach Steve Borthwick.
The duo were included in the England manager’s 28-man training squad for the first phase of the team’s World Cup preparation.
The squad was named without players from the four sides that made the Premiership semi-finals due to protocols surrounding mandatory time required away from the game.
Elsewhere Zach Mercer – who has left Montpellier and will join Gloucester this summer – has been included while fellow No8 Sam Simmonds has been excluded after conversations with Borthwick.
England will name a second squad including the semi-finalists in due course and a third squad involving the finalists before issuing a complete squad ahead of the World Cup on 7 August.
England face Wales home and away, Ireland in Dublin and Fiji at home in four World Cup preparation matches before entering into a World Cup pool with Samoa, Argentina, Chile and Japan.
England’s first squad
England Forwards: 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), Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Jack Walker (Harlequins)
England Backs: Henry Arundell (London Irish), Danny Care (Harlequins), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby), Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish), Will Joseph (London Irish), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby), Joe Marchant (Harlequins), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby)