England Six Nations squad LIVE: Eddie Jones names team for 2022 tournament
England have named an expanded 36-man group for the tournament
Owen Farrell has been retained as England captain for the Six Nations but there are several big-name casualties in the training squad named for the opener against Scotland on 5 February.
George Ford continues to miss out despite his outstanding form at the heart of Leicester’s revival with Farrell, Marcus Smith and uncapped Bath prospect Orlando Bailey included as fly-halves.
There is no place for versatile back Elliot Daly despite his recovery from the stress fracture that forced him to sit out a successful autumn, and his Saracens colleagues Mako and Billy Vunipola also remain in international exile.
A fifth ever-present from the 2019 World Cup squad, and up until now a key member of Eddie Jones’ back row, has been frozen out in flanker Sam Underhill.
The uncapped Bailey, Alfie Barbeary, Ollie Chessum, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Hassell-Collins and Luke Northmore continue Jones’ overhaul of his England squad as he builds for France 2023.
Follow live updates, reaction and analysis below as Jones reveals his 36-man squad:
England Six Nations Squad
Good morning. It’s a big day of Six Nations squad news with both England and Wales set to name their first squads for the tournament.
As mentioned, it will be an expanded group named by Eddie Jones at 10.45am GMT to assemble in Brighton next week for a training camp, and the Australian will have greater flexibility to bring players out and in to the group after the RFU reached an agreement with the Premiership clubs.
England to confirm Six Nations squad
Eddie Jones is set to confirm his England’s Six Nations 2022 squad with an expanded limit of 36 players this year.
One of the dynamics to this squad is Jones’ ability to select unvaccinated players despite strict travel rules that could rule them out of two of England’s three away fixtures, notably a possible title decider against France on Super Saturday.
That should give Jones the chance to experiment more, with young fly half Orlando Bailey, 20, one to watch. Bailey’s inclusion could cast doubt over George Ford’s future, with the Leicester Tiger dropped at the end of last year by Jones.
A year ago Jones could only select 28 players with Covid causing issues throughout the campaign and the Red Rose finished a dismal fifth, meaning there is extra motivation here.
Wales were triumphant in 2021, grabbing the Triple Crown, but missed out on the Grand Slam after defeat in a thrilling game at France on the final weekend of the campaign.
Jones will be optimistic too after a statement victory over world champions South Africa at Twickenham last year.
It promises to be a wide-open tournament following a surge in form from both Ireland, after a sensational victory over the New Zealand, and France’s eye-catching style, which also proved too much for a weary All Blacks side in the Autumn Nations.
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