Flanker Jack Willis, winger Anthony Watson and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie have been included in Eddie Jones’s extended 25-man squad to face Wales in the Nations Cup on Saturday, but centre Ollie Lawrence will miss the game with a hip injury.
Willis made a tryscoring debut against Georgia two weeks ago but was left our of last weekend’s win over Ireland.
He is among a strong group of backrow options for Jones alongside Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Billy Vunipola and Ben Earl - one of whom is likely to miss out when he names his match 23 tomorrow.
First-choice wing Watson is back for the first time after picking up an injury in the final Six Nations game against Italy last month, while Cowan-Dickie has recovered from knee surgery and is fit for a probable place on the bench, with Jamie George
starting.
A win or draw for England in Llanelli will put them top of Group A in the new competition and set up a title decider, probably against France, at Twickenham on December 6 - when, subject to Thursday’s government announcement, there could be 4,000 fans to watch the game.
England squad Backs
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 45 caps), Owen Farrell (Saracens, 86 caps), George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 70 caps), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 53 caps), Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 2 caps), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 59 caps), Dan Robson (Wasps, 5 caps), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 32 caps), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 44 caps), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 102 caps)
Forwards
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 26 caps), Ben Earl (Bristol Bears, 6 caps), Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps), Jamie George (Saracens, 52 caps), Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 2 caps), Maro Itoje (Saracens, 41 caps), Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 67 caps), Joe Marler (Harlequins, 71 caps), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 38 caps), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 6 caps), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 20 caps), Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 54 caps), Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 62 caps)
Jack Willis (Wasps, 1 cap).
England’s Jack Willis (centre) during a training session at the Lensbury Hotel in Teddington, Britain, yesterday. (Reuters)
