LONDON (Reuters) – Flanker Jack Willis, winger Anthony Watson and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie have been included in Eddie Jones’s extended 25-man squad to face Wales in the Nations Cup on Saturday, but centre Ollie Lawrence will miss the game with a hip injury.
Willis made a tryscoring debut against Georgia two weeks ago but was left our of last weekend’s win over Ireland. He is among a strong group of backrow options for Jones alongside Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Billy Vunipola and Ben Earl – one of whom is likely to miss out when he names his match 23 on Thursday.
First-choice wing Watson is back for the first time after picking up an injury in the final Six Nations game against Italy last month, while Cowan-Dickie has recovered from knee surgery and is fit for a probable place on the bench, with Jamie George starting.
A win or draw for England in Llanelli will put them top of Group A in the new competition and set up a title decider, probably against France, at Twickenham on Dec. 6 – when, subject to Thursday’s government tier announcement, there could be 4,000 fans to watch the game.
England provisional squad to face Wales:
Backs
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 45 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 86 caps)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 70 caps)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 53 caps)
Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 2 caps)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 59 caps)
Dan Robson (Wasps, 5 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 32 caps)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 44 caps)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 102 caps)
Forwards
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 24 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 26 caps)
Ben Earl (Bristol Bears, 6 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 52 caps)
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 2 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 41 caps)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 67 caps)
Joe Marler (Harlequins, 71 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 38 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 6 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 20 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 54 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 62 caps)
Jack Willis (Wasps, 1 cap)
