Gloucester Rugby stars Ben Redshaw, Afolabi Fasogbon, and Charlie Atkinson have been named in a 26-player England squad called up for a three-day training camp this week. The camp is in preparation for the uncapped England XV versus France XV match scheduled to take place in Vannes in just under two weeks.
This fixture, held on the eve of the Gallagher Premiership final, serves as a crucial warm-up ahead of the inaugural Nations Championship. It offers players an opportunity to impress England head coach Steve Borthwick and stake their claim in his plans.
The squad assembled for this camp is the second group to come together in preparation for the summer Tests and notably excludes players involved in the Gallagher Premiership Play-Offs. Borthwick’s initial 42-player squad included 23 players whose clubs are still competing in the Premiership Play-Offs this weekend.
READ MORE: ‘I’ve worked with Jeremy Clarkson — one moment in Clarkson’s Farm proved his genius’
READ MORE: Drivers Get First Opportunity to Experience New Two-Mile Stretch of A417 ‘Missing Link’ Road
Redshaw, Fasogbon, and Atkinson have been on the fringes of England’s setup over the last 18 months. Both Redshaw and Fasogbon featured for England A during last autumn, while Atkinson, who also played for England A, earned his first full England cap on last summer’s tour to Argentina and the USA. This season, Atkinson has also established himself as Gloucester’s starting fly-half, despite competition from Irish international Ross Byrne.
Gloucester’s Arthur Clark and Seb Atkinson have also been called into the squad. The group will assemble today (Tuesday 9 June) and train at England’s Performance Centre at Pennyhill Park through Thursday.
In addition to the Gloucester contingent, Bristol Bears trio George Kloska, Harry Randall, and the uncapped South African-born centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg have been selected. While Janse van Rensburg is not yet eligible for a capped England appearance until the upcoming match against Fiji, he is expected to feature against the France XV, potentially earning his first appearance in the Red Rose jersey.
England will kick off their Nations Championship campaign with a Test against South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday 4 July, followed by matches against Fiji and Argentina.
England Training Squad:
Forwards: Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Ben Earl (Saracens), Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Will Hobson (Harlequins), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Nathan Jibulu (Sale Sharks), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), George Kloska (Bristol Bears), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks), Hugh Tizard (Saracens)
Backs: Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Noah Caluori (Saracens), Tobias Elliott (Saracens), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Ben Redshaw (Gloucester Rugby), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
Rehabilitation: Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)