Elite England squad named

England have named their elite player squad ahead of the Six Nations, with Tom Croft, Freddie Burns and Billy Twelvetrees all included.

Twelvetrees is joined by fellow uncapped Northampton flanker Calum Clark, who served a 32-week ban last season for breaking Leicester Tigers' hooker Rob Hawkins's arm.

Burns has been promoted to the senior squad alongside Tom Youngs and prop Mako Vunipola. Meanwhile, Saracens wing David Strettle has been recalled, with Gloucester's Charlie Sharples missing out.

Toby Flood, who was cleared to play in the Six Nations after a citing for an alleged tip tackle was dismissed this week, is also named in the squad.

Squad in full:

Forwards: C Clark, D Cole, A Corbisiero, T Croft, D Hartley, J Haskell, T Johnson, J Launchbury, C Lawes, J Marler, B Morgan, G Parling, C Robshaw, M Vunipola, T Waldrom, D Wilson, T Wood, T Youngs

Backs: C Ashton, B Barritt, M Brown, F Burns, D Care, L Dickson, O Farrell, T Flood, B Foden, A Goode, J Joseph, D Strettle, M Tuilagi, B Twelvetrees, B Youngs

Written by
Matt Law