Former Raiders named in England squad

FORMER Worthing Raiders Joe Launchbury and Joe Marler have been named in the England squad for next month’s autumn rugby internationals.
Joe LaunchburyJoe Launchbury
Joe Launchbury

The Wasps lock and Harlequins prop have been named alongside fellow Sussex-based star Billy Twelvetrees in Stuart Lancaster’s squad for the QBE Internationals against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.

Uncapped centres Luther Burrell, Joel Tomkins and Henry Trinder have all also been given the nod due to injuries to Manu Tuilagi and Brad Barritt.

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The players will assemble in Leeds on Monday for a training camp before returning to their Surrey training base at Pennyhill Park on October 27 ahead of the match against the Australia at Twickenham on November 2.

They face Argentina the following Saturday and New Zealand on 16 November.

Lancaster said: “We have been looking forward to this QBE series ever since we got back from Argentina. As a coaching group we have watched a lot of rugby and we are pleased with the form of the squad. The camp is an important part of our preparation and we are looking forward to meeting up.

“Inevitably there have been some injuries and there is still a big European weekend ahead. But injures always create opportunities and we are pleased to call up Tom Johnson, Joel Tomkins, Henry Trinder and Luther Burrell into the Senior EPS, with Luther joining us as injury cover so it will be great for him to come in and put a marker down in what is going to be a competitive selection leading into the Australia game.

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“We have three major Tests ahead of us and we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Full England squad:

Forwards: Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), David Wilson (Bath Rugby), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), David Attwood (Bath Rugby), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints).

Backs: Chris Ashton (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Alex Goode (Saracens), Christian Wade (London Wasps), Marland Yarde (London Irish), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby), Joel Tomkins (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby), Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Danny Care (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).