Rugby World Cup: Danny Cipriani handed surprise call-up to England training squad

Cipriani has won just two caps in the three years that England coach Eddie Jones has been in charge

The fly-half was named Premiership and Rugby Players’ Association player of the year last season (Getty)

Danny Cipriani has been handed a surprise call-up to an England pre-World Cup training camp on Sunday.

Gloucester fly-half Cipriani, who was named Premiership and Rugby Players’ Association player of the year last season, has won just two caps in the three years that England coach Eddie Jones has been in charge.

Piers Francis (Northampton Saints), Willi Heinz (Gloucester), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) and Ollie Thorley (Gloucester) have also been added to the squad, while Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins) and Marcus Smith (Harlequins) will return to their clubs next week.

“Next week we will add some players and be looking to improve our physical conditioning, ability to understand how we want to play the game and start to increase the pressure at training,” Jones said.

“We have a couple of players going back to their clubs as we feel it is in their best interests in terms of the World Cup to do that, and we will consider their participation in the squad further down the track.”

PA