Manu Tuilagi returns to England squad as Eddie Jones names 37 players to prepare for autumn internationals

Eddie Jones warned England that they still have “a big step” to make if they are to win the 2019 Rugby World Cup after naming his first training camp squad of the new season, in which he recalled fit-again Manu Tuilagi.

The Leicester Tigers centre has made just one appearance for England in the last three years after suffering a chain of serious injuries, with the most recent ruling him out of the summer tour of Argentina as well as any chance of featuring for the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand.

Seven players who featured on that tour against the All Blacks will join up for one of the three days that the squad will spend at the Lensbury Hotel in Teddington from this Saturday, but James Haskell, Joe Marler, George Kruis, Elliot Daly and Jonathan Joseph have “opted” to remain on holiday ahead of the new season.

Jones will hope to build on the 2-0 triumph against a full-strength Pumas side, and as a result he retains nine players who featured in South America, with Tom Curry, Piers Francis, Nick Isiekwe, Alex Lozowski, Jack Maunder, Denny Solomona, Sam Underhill, Harry Williams and Mark Wilson all included.

18-year-old Harlequins academy fly-half Marcus Smith, who trained with the England squad for their pre-summer tour camp in Brighton back in May, will once again be brought into camp to further his development, while Bath hooker Tom Dunn is also included.

“We are at an incredibly important stage with two years to go to the Rugby World Cup in Japan and there is still a big step to make if we want to be the number one team in the world,” said Jones.

“We are going to have to be meticulous in a preparation in everything we do as we build towards Tokyo and that is why this camp is vital ahead of this season.”

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With three months to go until the autumn internationals, where England will face Argentina, Australia and Samoa, Jones wants to set-out his vision for what he has described as “phase two” of his plan to win the Rugby World Cup, with a training camp in Portugal also scheduled for the end of October.

“The players, coaches and staff will use these three days to reconnect and ensure we are all clear on what our priorities and expectations are ahead of the Premiership season as well as the upcoming Old Mutual Wealth Series,” added Jones.

Forwards

Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers) – Monday only*

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)

Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby)

Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)

Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)

Jamie George (Saracens)- Saturday only*

Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)

Nathan Hughes (Wasps)

Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)

Maro Itoje (Saracens) – Saturday only*

Joe Launchbury (Wasps)

Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)

Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins) – Saturday only*

Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)

Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)

Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)

Billy Vunipola (Saracens)

Backs

Mike Brown (Harlequins)

Danny Care (Harlequins)

Nathan Earle (Saracens)

Owen Farrell (Saracens) – Saturday only*

George Ford (Leicester Tigers)

Piers Francis (Northampton Saints)

Alex Lozowski (Saracens)

Harry Mallinder (Northampton Saints)

Joe Marchant (Harlequins)

Jack Maunder (Exeter Chiefs)

Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)

Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) – Monday only*

Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)

Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)

Marcus Smith (Harlequins)

Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks)

Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)

Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby) – Monday only*

Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Sunday 24- Tuesday 26 September: training camp, Oxford

Sunday 29 October- Friday 3 November: training camp, Portugal