Danny Cipriani has been recalled by England for the first time since 2008 ahead of the the summer tour of New Zealand.
Sale‘s fly-half Cipriani is one of 20 players named in the training squad from those clubs whose seasons have finished.
They will be in contention to play against the Barbarians on June 1 as well as the first Test against the All Blacks while Stuart Lancaster will name more players on May 26.
The first group of players will fly to New Zealand on May 27 and the second group will fly on June 2 following the Aviva Premiership final and Barbarians game and join the squad in Auckland on June 4.
10 uncapped players have also been named alongside Cipriani with Chris Pennell being rewarded for his outstanding personal season at Worcester.
Exeter’s U20s World Champions Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam Hill and Henry Slade are also included while Sale’s New Zealand-born lock Michael Paterson is given the nod as he qualifies for England through his grandfather.
“The New Zealand tour and the game against the Barbarians give us a chance to look at a wide group of players, some of whom are well known to us from the Elite Player Squad, others who we will get to work with for the first time next week,” Lancaster said. “That is an exciting challenge for us coaches and it’s a great opportunity for those players to put a marker down for selection for the tour and the Barbarians game.”
England training group: Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs), Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Michael Paterson (Sale Sharks), Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors), Dan Robson (Gloucester Rugby), Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Tommy Taylor (Sale Sharks), Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks), Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby), Marland Yarde (London Irish).
Video courtesy of Rugbymedia
