Thomas called up to England training

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 in England, England Saxons

HENRY THOMAS of Sale Sharks will train with the England squad ahead of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland at Twickenham Stadium (4pm, live BBC One).

Thomas has been called up to the team’s training base at Pennyhill Park as temporary injury cover for Alex Corbisiero, who remains at London Irish for treatment on his knee.

Ugo Monye (Harlequins) will also train with the squad while Freddie Burns (knee) stays at Gloucester Rugby for treatment.

England Saxons will meet up in Newcastle tomorrow morning ahead of their match with Scotland A at Kingston Park on Friday, February 1 (8pm, live on SkySports 2 HD). Shaun Knight has returned to Gloucester Rugby for treatment on a knee injury.

England Senior training squad (33)

Chris Ashton (Saracens)

Brad Barritt (Saracens)

Mouritz Botha (Saracens)

Mike Brown (Harlequins)

Danny Care (Harlequins)

Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)

Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)

Owen Farrell (Saracens)

Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers)

Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)

Alex Goode (Saracens)

Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)

James Haskell (London Wasps)

Jonathan Joseph (London Irish)

Matt Kvesic (Worcester Warriors)

Joe Launchbury (London Wasps)

Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)

Joe Marler (Harlequins)

Ugo Monye (Harlequins)

Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)

Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)

Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)

David Strettle (Saracens)

Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks)

Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)

Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)

Billy Vunipola (London Wasps)

Mako Vunipola (Saracens)

Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers)

David Wilson (Bath Rugby)

Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)

Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

England Saxons training squad (24)

Tom Biggs (Bath Rugby)

Kieran Brookes (Leicester Tigers)

Rob Buchanan (Harlequins)

Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers)

Elliot Daly (London Wasps)

Paul Doran Jones (Northampton Saints)

Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)

George Ford (Leicester Tigers)

Will Fraser (Saracens)

Joe Gray (Harlequins)

Jamie Gibson (London Irish)

George Lowe (Harlequins)

Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)

George Kruis (Saracens)

Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)

Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)

George Robson (Harlequins)

Joe Simpson (London Wasps)

Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)

Joel Tomkins (Saracens)

Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)

Christian Wade (London Wasps)

Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)

Nick Wood (Gloucester Rugby)

Swainston added to England Saxons squad

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 in England Saxons

LONDON WASPS prop Phil Swainston is to join the England Saxons squad training to face Scotland A at Newcastle on Friday night (8pm).

He replaces Shaun Knight (Gloucester Rugby), who has returned to Kingsholm to have his sore left knee is assessed by the club’s medical team.

Swainston, 23, has made 13 first team appearances for Wasps after joining the club from Leeds Carnegie last summer.

Brookes replaces Knight for England Saxons

Posted on Jan 25, 2013 in England Saxons

PROP Kieran Brookes (Leicester Tigers) has been added to the replacements bench for tonight’s England Saxons match against O2 Ireland Wolfhounds in Galway (7.35pm).

He takes over from Shaun Knight (Gloucester Rugby), who has not fully recovered from some soreness in his left knee. Knight will be assessed further by his club medical team next week.

England Saxons

15 Elliot Daly (London Wasps)

14 Christian Wade (London Wasps)

13 Joel Tomkins (Saracens)

12 Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)

11 Tom Biggs (Bath Rugby)

10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers)

9 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)

1 Nick Wood (Gloucester Rugby)

2 Joe Gray (Harlequins)

3 Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints)

4 Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)

5 George Robson (Harlequins)

6 George Kruis (Saracens)

7 Will Fraser (Saracens)

8 Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers, captain)

Replacements:

16 Rob Buchanan (Harlequins)

17 Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)

18 Kieran Brookes (Leicester Tigers)

19 Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)

20 Jamie Gibson (London Irish)

21 Joe Simpson (London Wasps)

22 George Lowe (Harlequins)

23 Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)

Robshaw confirmed England captain

Posted on Jan 21, 2013 in England

Chris Robshaw was this evening re-appointed England captain for the RBS 6 Nations.

The Harlequins skipper, who led England to second place in last season’s Championship, will lead the team against Scotland in the opener at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, February 2.

England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster, who confirmed the appointment at this evening’s squad meeting, said: “Chris stepped into the role 12 months ago, when we were building a new team, and he has grown as a leader on and off the field. He showed those leadership qualities during the QBE Internationals, and especially against the All Blacks when the whole squad got behind him. We have a number of leaders and I know they will all take this team forwards with Chris as we look to kick on from that result.”

Robshaw said: “Stuart told me this afternoon and I am really pleased to be asked again. There are other leaders in the squad that Stuart could have turned to so I am really honoured. The lads have been great over the last year and now we our focus is on building on the New Zealand performance and getting a result against Scotland.”

Freddie Burns was today assessed by the England medics in consultation with Gloucester Rugby following the knee injury sustained in the Amlin Challenge Cup on Saturday.

The fly half will stay with England at their Leeds training camp and his knee will be scanned over the next few days to establish the full extent of the problem.

Ulster’s Nick Williams out for eight weeks

Posted on Jan 14, 2013 in Ulster

Ulster Number 8, Nick Williams, suffered a knee injury in Ulster’s Heineken Cup Pool 4 win over Glasgow Warriors at Ravenhill on Friday night.

An assessment this morning confirmed that he sustained medial ligament damage to his left knee and is expected to be out for up to eight weeks.

Prop Adam Macklin damaged his knee playing for the Ravens against Bristol at the weekend. He will be subject to an ongoing conservative management programme and will be reviewed in due course.

Outside half Paddy Jackson was assessed yesterday for an ankle injury he picked up against Glasgow, as was winger Craig Gilroy who suffered a bang to the head on Friday night. Jackson’s ankle is responding well to physiotherapy treatment, while Gilroy is following the necessary return-to-play protocol.

It is hoped that both players will be available for selection for this weekend’s Heineken Cup game against Castres Olympique.