England World Cup Squad Announced

England have announced their squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup with Sam Burgess the biggest surprise in the squad, having ousted Luther Burrell for one of the centre positions.

Exeter’s Henry Slade is also included in a squad that contains a mixture of both youth and experience as England look to regain the World Cup they last won in 2003 and head coach Stuart Lancaster has taken a calculated risk, particularly on Burgess who has yet to set the code on fire since his move from Rugby League.

Chris Robshaw will again captain the side who kick off their tournament in the first game against Fiji at Twickenham on 18th September and will go into the World Cup as an improving side that could go all the way. Unlike in 2003, when England went in as favourites, this event will see them in the group that could go all the way but will need the heavy favourites, New Zealand to be beaten along the way.

Danny Cipriani is also a high profile omission alongside Burrell who can feel hard done by after featuring regularly for England over the last few years but coach Lancaster has gone for risk over safety in the squad and hopes the gamble will pay off.

England World Cup Squad

Props:

Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints, 10 caps), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 51 caps), Joe Marler (Harlequins, 32 caps), Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 22 caps), David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 43 caps)

Hookers:

Jamie George (Saracens, 1 cap). Rob Webber (Bath Rugby, 13 caps), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)

Second rows:

George Kruis (Saracens, 8 caps), Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 23 caps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 39 caps), Geoff Parling (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps)

Back rows:

James Haskell (Wasps, 60 caps), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 28 caps), Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins, 38 caps), Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 18 caps), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 37 caps)

Scrum halves:

Danny Care (Harlequins, 52 caps), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 22 caps), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 48 caps)

Fly halves:

Owen Farrell (Saracens, 30 caps), George Ford (Bath Rugby, 12 caps)

Centres:

Brad Barritt (Saracens, 22 caps), Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby, 1 cap), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 12 caps), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 1 cap)

Back three:

Mike Brown (Harlequins, 38 caps), Alex Goode (Saracens, 18 caps), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 15 caps), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 9 caps), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)