Friday 9 February 2018 20:53, UK
Denny Solomona and Zach Mercer are among the 25 players retained by Eddie Jones in his England squad ahead of Saturday's Six Nations game against Wales at Twickenham.
Richard Wigglesworth also stays in the squad after his call-up to replace the injured Ben Youngs, who was ruled out of the entire tournament after rupturing the medial ligaments in his left knee in the opening victory against Italy.
Neither Solomona nor Mercer featured in the 46-15 win in Rome. New Zealand-born winger Solomona earned his only two England caps on last summer's tour of Argentina.
No 8 Mercer, who was ill in the build-up to the Italy match, has never played a Test match and was until recently considered to be an 'apprentice' player by Jones.
The England head coach will announce the starting XV and the replacements to face Wales at Twickenham on Thursday morning.
England squad
Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Jonny May (Leicester), Denny Solomona (Sale), Anthony Watson (Bath), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Ben Te'o (Worcester), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens).
Forwards: Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Zach Mercer (Bath), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Sam Underhill (Bath), Dan Cole (Leicester), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Alec Hepburn (Exeter), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter).
