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England centre Brad Barritt hails 'bold' Rugby World Cup squad

Brad Barritt credits England coach Stuart Lancaster for including Sam Burgess and Henry Slade in his Rugby World Cup squad.

Brad Barritt has described England's Rugby World Cup squad as a 'statement of intent' by coach Stuart Lancaster.

Centre pairing Sam Burgess and Henry Slade were included in the 31-man party on Thursday despite sharing just two international caps between them.

Luther Burrell and Nick Easter were the high-profile names omitted from the squad ahead of the tournament.

"[Stuart Lancaster's] definitely made a statement," Barritt told Sky Sports News. "It's not just a case of the games, it's the work day in and day out and they've obviously impressed and pushed for their inclusion.

"Credit must go to [Burgess and Slade]. For the guys that have missed out, it's really tough for them. The centre group is a really competitive place – there have been six guys who have put up their hand and who would all deserve their place."

England play their final Rugby World Cup warm-up game on September 5 when they face Ireland at Twickenham Stadium.

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Henry Slade during an England training session on May 29, 2015
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