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England recall Matt Stevens for World Cup training squad

Discussion in 'International Rugby Union' started by Not606 News Team, Jun 20, 2011.

  1. Not606 News Team

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    England have named prop Matt Stevens in their squad for the first time since his drugs ban, Sky Sports reports.

    The Saracens forward is in a 45-man Rugby World Cup training squad. He has been in impressive form since he returned to action in January following his two-year ban for testing positive for cocaine.

    He was an integral part of the Saracens side that won the Aviva Premiership title, and also caught the eye as the Saxons retained the Churchill Cup.

    Stevens joins the uncapped Manu Tuilagi, Thomas Waldrom, Mouritz Botha, Joe Simpson and Charlie Sharples in the training squad.

    Tuilagi and Waldrom are handed their chance after excellent seasons saw them named the Rugby Players' Association Player and Aviva Premiership Young Player of the Year respectively. South Africa-born Botha is named after completing his qualification period.

    Saracens scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth, Bath hooker Lee Mears, Harlequins wing Ugo Monye, and Gloucester Rugby wing James Simpson-Daniel have also been included, and all of the 2011 RBS Six Nations squad retain their places.

    Manager Martin Johnson said: "Every one of these players has the chance to be in that final 30 going to New Zealand.

    "The camp is going to be intense and competitive, as you would expect leading up to a World Cup, but all the players are ready for it.

    "We have guys such as Lewis Moody, Jonny Wilkinson and Mike Tindall who have been in this situation before but also a lot of players who won't have experienced a World Cup training camp.

    "It's now up to all of them to set down their marker over the next 10 weeks before we head to New Zealand."

    The full 45-man training squad is:

    Forwards: Mouritz Botha (Saracens), George Chuter (Leicester Tigers), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Hendre Fourie (Sale Sharks), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Unattached), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Lewis Moody (Bath Rugby), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais), Tim Payne (London Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Simon Shaw (London Wasps), Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Matt Stevens (Saracens), Steve Thompson (London Wasps), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers), David Wilson (Bath Rugby), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Joe Worsley (London Wasps).

    Backs: Delon Armitage (London Irish), Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints), Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Riki Flutey (London Wasps), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Shontayne Hape (London Irish), Charlie Hodgson (Saracens), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby), Joe Simpson (London Wasps), James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester Rugby), David Strettle (Saracens), Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
     
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