Manu Tuilagi was named yesterday in the England training squad by Eddie Jones who clearly wants to see for himself whether the Leicester Tigers centre still has it in him to rampage as of old.
Tuilagi, 26, has been plagued by injuries since 2013 and has not started a Six Nations game in the past four seasons. However, he is apparently fit to start the season and would clearly like to get his England place back as well as his starting position for Leicester.
The squad named yesterday is only for a three-day training camp starting tomorrow but, as ever, it sheds light on the thought processes of the England coach. Most interesting are the possible developments in the back row. Jones is the first coach to split the talented young Curry twins: he has selected Tom, who made his debut against Argentina in the summer, and not Ben. Jones has also selected Sam Underhill, who won his first cap on the tour.
Underhill and Curry effectively replace Jack Clifford and Teimana Harrison. Tom Wood, a veteran from last season’s Six Nations, is also absent.
There were two new players in the squad: Tom Dunn, the Bath hooker, and Marcus Smith, the 18-year-old Harlequins fly half.
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Jones made attendance optional for England’s Lions players; the seven who will attend will only come for one day and will not take part in training.