Saturday 31 December 2016 15:22, UK
Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi has been named in a 33-man England squad who will attend a two-day training camp in Brighton ahead of the 2017 RBS Six Nations.
A huge talent, the 25-year-old has been plagued by injuries over the last two seasons but recently returned to action.
Maro Itoje of Saracens, Wasps back row man James Haskell, Bath wing Anthony Watson and Exeter wing Jack Nowell are also back after injury.
And head coach Eddie Jones has also named uncapped quartet Nathan Catt (a Bath prop), second-row Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks), back-row forward Mike Williams (Leicester Tigers) and fly-half Alex Lozowski (Saracens).
Saracens duo Mako and Billy Vunipola, and Wasps lock Joe Launchbury, will miss the camp due to injury.
The squad will assemble in Brighton on 2-3 January and, having won the Grand Slam last year, England will kick off their 2017 Six Nations campaign against France at Twickenham on 4 February.
Jones has also announced a revised 45-man elite player squad (EPS), while the final squad for the RBS Six Nations will be announced on 20 January.
Jones said: "This short two-day camp in Brighton allows us to do some of the organisational work we need to do for the Six Nations.
"We have France first-up, who are one of the most improved sides in Europe. They should have beaten Australia and could have beaten the All Blacks in November, so they'll come into the Six Nations with a lot of confidence.
"We've got to make sure that we use this training camp to get an understanding of how we're going to beat France.
"We want to see a good attitude from the players and, as always, we're looking for players who are desperate to play for England.
"The thing that struck me about last year's Six Nations is that sides were scared to lose and we want to make sure in this Six Nations, right from the word go, that we're daring and we have the courage to play our game."
England training squad:
Forwards: Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks), Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Teimana Harrison (Northampton Saints), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Tommy Taylor (Wasps), Mike Williams (Leicester Tigers), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints).
Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
England's 45-man elite player squad:
Forwards: Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks), Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby), Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Paul Hill (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Sam Jones (Wasps), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Tommy Taylor (Wasps), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Mike Williams (Leicester Tigers), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)
Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Mike Haley (Sale Sharks), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Joe Marchant (Harlequins), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Dan Robson (Wasps), Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Spencer (Saracens), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
