Martin Johnson has named a 44 man squad to tour Australia and New Zealand next month.
The tour includes two matches against the Australian Barbarians and two tests v the Wallabies – 12 June Perth and 19 June Sydney.
This is the strongest England touring side for many years and will provide a stern challenge to an improving Wallaby side.
There are nine new caps in his squad and a number of players missing due to injury. Two key members of the engine room who won’t be touring including usual captain Steve Borthwick and Leicester lock Louis Deacon (both injured).
Melbourne Rebels bound Danny Cipriani wasn’t selected but this had been previously telegraphed.
Riki Flutey (centre) is just returning from injury and isn’t included and Paul Hodgson (halfback) was selected in the England ‘A’ side which was announced at the same time.
Johnson has recalled Sale five eighth Charlie Hodgson, Bath’s Olly Barkley and prop David Flatman, and Saracens bound David Strettle.
There are lots of old hands in the touring party including Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall, Ugo Monye, Toby Flood, Steve Thompson, Simon Shaw, Lee Mears and Nick Easter.
Expect young gun Northampton lock/flanker Courtney Lawes to feature in the test side.
Former NZ Rugby League player Shontayne Hape (Bath) and England mungo Chris Ashton were both selected.
It’s likely that Lewis Moody will be named captain as he led England in its final Six Nations game in the absence of Borthwick.
England
Backs: D Armitage (London Irish), C Ashton (Northampton), M Banahan (Bath), O Barkley (Bath), D Care (Harlequins), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton), S Geraghty (Northampton), S Hape (Bath), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), U Monye (Harlequins), J Simpson (Wasps), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tait (Sale Sharks), M Tindall (Gloucester), D Waldouck (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), J Wilkinson (Toulon), B Youngs (Leicester).
Forwards: S Armitage (London Irish), D Attwood (Gloucester), D Cole (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), P Doran-Jones (Gloucester), N Easter (Harlequins), D Flatman (Bath), H Fourie (Leeds Carnegie), J Golding (Newcastle), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Francais), C Lawes (Northampton), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), T Palmer (Stade Francais), G Parling (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), C Robshaw (Harlequins), S Shaw (Wasps), S Thompson (Brive), D Ward-Smith (Wasps), R Webber (Wasps), D Wilson (Bath), J Worsley (Wasps).
England ‘A’ (Churchill Cup)
Backs: N Abendanon (Bath), A Allen (Leicester), B Barritt (Saracens), J Clarke (Northampton), A Goode (Saracens), P Hodgson (London Irish), S Myler (Northampton), J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), O Smith (Montpellier), T Varndell (Wasps), M Young (Newcastle).
Forwards: D Bell (Bath), N Catt (Bath), A Corbisiero (London Irish), P Dowson (Northampton), G Kitchener (Worcester), S Hooper (Bath), T Lindsay (Wasps), L Narraway (Gloucester), D Paice (London Irish), T Rees (Wasps), A Saull (Saracens), G Skivington (Wasps), R Vickers (Newcastle), N Wood (Gloucester), T Wood (Worcester).
