Care and Marler return as England World Cup preparation squad announced

Harlequins duo Danny Care and Joe Marler have been named in the England squad for the first time under Steve Borthwick as he announced the 28 players selected for the first World Cup preparation camp.

England today begin preparations for their first warm-up match of the Summer against Wales on Saturday 5 August, with this squad being the first of three named before their Summer matches, which also include Ireland and Fiji.

The announced squad does not include players from Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks, Saracens or Leicester, with those from sides making the Premiership play-offs still being rested.

Bath’s Ben Spencer returns to the fray, as he looks for his first national cap since 2019, along with Zach Mercer, who enters contention following his upcoming move to Gloucester.

Sam Simmonds ruled himself out of selection owing to his move to Montpellier – where he will replace Mercer – joining former Exeter Chiefs teammate Jack Nowell as a French-bound player sitting out the World Cup, with Nowell on the way to La Rochelle.

Four London Irish players: Henry Arundell, Tom Pearson, Ollie Hassell-Collins and Will Joseph join the squad, as they hope to impress after what has been a heartbreaking week for their now former club.

Billy Vunipola, Ollie Chessum and Luke Cowan-Dickie will also attend camp as they continue to rehabilitate from their respective injuries, but Joe Launchbury was not considered for selection due to a minor injury of his own.

The exciting Georgian-born prop Val Rapava-Ruskin will be looking to cement his place in the squad, in a way that he was unable to in 2019 when he was last named in an England training squad at this same stage.

England coach Borthwick said he was looking forward to a vital summer, but admitted that there was a lot of work to do to prepare England ahead of their first warm-up game in August.

“We are excited to get into camp and begin the first phase of our preparations,” Borthwick said.  
 
“The World Cup is full of top-quality teams and high-quality players, and we’re relishing the challenge in front of us. That all starts today at Pennyhill Park.
 
“We have lots to get through before our first Summer Series fixture in August against Wales in Cardiff, so the hard work starts now. We are looking forward to it.”

Written by Rupert Reddish

Forwards: Jamie Blamire, Alex Dombrandt, Tom Dunn, Charlie Ewels, Ellis Genge, Ted Hill, Joe Marler, Zach Mercer, Beno Obano, Tom Pearson, Val Rapava-Ruskin, Kyle Sinckler, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill, Jack Walker

Backs: Henry Arundell, Danny Care, Joe Cokanasiga, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Will Joseph, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Marchant, Jonny May, Cadan Murley, Harry Randall, Henry Slade, Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer

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