Lewis Ludlam, Courtney Lawes, David Ribbans and Tom Pearson have all been named in England’s training squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup by head coach Steve Borthwick today.
The tournament kicks off in France in September, with the 41-player group assembling at The Lensbury in London on Sunday 2 July for England’s first official training camp.
The squad contains a total of 1,519 England caps, with Northampton’s new signing Pearson one of the five uncapped players amongst the group. Ludlam (19 caps), Lawes (97), and Ribbans (6) meanwhile will all be hoping to also add to their tallies with England facing Wales (twice), Ireland and Fiji in their warm-up Summer Nations Series matches in August before the tournament gets underway.
“We’re excited to be able to bring a full training squad together for the first time and focus on the next stage of our World Cup preparations,” said Borthwick.
“I am pleased with the balance of the squad, which blends experience with youth.
“Our preparation camps over the last three weeks have allowed those players who didn’t feature in the Premiership final to start to get physically equipped for a World Cup campaign.
“The attitude of the players has been excellent, and I have seen a group who have wholeheartedly committed to what we have asked of them.
“We hope today’s announcement is the start of something special for our supporters, who I know are eagerly anticipating the tournament as much as we are.”
England’s Rugby World Cup 2023 training squad
FORWARDS (23)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 6 caps)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)
Theo Dan (Saracens, uncapped)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 14 caps)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 48 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)
Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 19 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 19 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)
George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Val Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester Rugby, uncapped)
David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 61 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)
Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)
Tom Willis (Bordeaux Bègles, uncapped)
BACKS (18)
Henry Arundell (London Irish, 7 caps)
Danny Care (Harlequins, 87 caps)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 106 caps)
George Ford (Sale Sharks, 81 caps)
Max Malins (Saracens, 18 caps)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 15 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 72 caps)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)
Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 56 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 21 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 51 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)
Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 55 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)
REHABILITATION (5)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 79 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps)
Jack Walker (Harlequins, 3 caps)
