Danny Cipriani left out of England training squad as World Cup hopes are dealt blow

Danny Cipriani’s hopes of making England’s 2019 World Cup squad have been dealt a blow after he was left out of England’s squad for next week’s training camp in Bristol — but head coach Eddie Jones says the decision is nothing to do with his arrest in Jersey last month.

However, Chris Ashton, who is banned until October 16 for a tip-tackle and last played international rugby in 2014, and Manu Tuilagi, who has had a horrific run of injuries, are both included, as is Saracens back-row forward Michael Rhodes, who only recently qualified to play for England.

Exciting youngsters Zach Mercer and Joe Cokanasiga, who have made excellent starts to the season with Bath, also make the 36-man squad for the three-day camp, which starts on Sunday and is England’s last opportunity to work together before the autumn series.

A key element of the camp will be acquainting the players with John Mitchell, Jones’s new defence coach. The former All Black was appointed this week to take over from Paul Gustard, who left England after the summer tour of South Africa to take over as head of rugby at Harlequins.

Jones said: “We’ll implement a slightly different defence philosophy building on the great work Paul Gustard has done to keep advancing our defence. It’s a great opportunity for the players to work with John and to keep evolving.”

Besides Cipriani, other notable absentees are long-serving tight-head prop Dan Cole, and back-row forwards Sam Simmonds, James Haskell and Sam Underhill.

“There are three club games following [the camp and before the autumn series starts], so players outside the squad have an opportunity to impress,” added Jones. “I called close to 30 players saying they weren’t in the squad.”

The squad for the autumn Tests — which sees England take on South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Australia — will be announced on October 18, two days after Ashton’s seven-week ban ends. The winger can be selected again, having moved back to the Premiership with Sale following a season in France with Toulon.

“Ashton will be important for us in November,” said Jones, who has been keeping close tabs on the 31-year-old’s work with his new club while he serves his ban.

Cipriani has been the outstanding fly-half in the early weeks of the season with his new club Gloucester, but that has not been enough to persuade Jones that he was worthy of a place.

The 30-year-old was fined £2,000 by a Jersey court after pleading guilty to resisting arrest and common assault and a similar amount by his club, who also ordered him to carry out community service. The RFU found him guilty of “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game”, but he did not receive further sanctions.

Jones has opted for two fly-halves for this get-together, Owen Farrell and George Ford, and rated Cipriani as his “third or fourth choice”. Jones says Cipriani knows what he needs to do to earn a recall and that he could still make the squad for the World Cup, which gets under way in Japan in precisely a year’s time.

Centre Tuilagi has made just one Test appearance in the last four years (and none since the 2016 Six Nations), with his last start coming on the 2014 tour of New Zealand. He has shown fine form with Leicester early this season and Jones will be keen to have him available to represent his country.

“It’s the first time in the three years I’ve been in England that Manu’s been fit,” said Jones. “He’s put together a series of games and we’re looking forward to him continuing on that run. He’s got the opportunity to come in and show us what he’s got.”

Harlequins have five players picked, including uncapped wing Nathan Earle, and Danny Care, who returns for the first time this season.

South Africa-born Rhodes is one of nine Saracens players in the squad, which includes George Kruis, who is over the ankle injury that ruled him out of England’s tour of South Africa.

England will be hoping to build on winning the final Test in South Africa, although that was a dead-rubber match. Prior to that, they had lost their five previous Tests.

Forwards: T Curry (Sale), J George (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton), N Hughes (Wasps), N Isiekwe (Saracens), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), J Marler (Harlequins), Z Mercer (Bath), M Rhodes (Saracens), C Robshaw (Harlequins), N Schonert (Worcester), B Shields (Wasps), K Sinckler (Harlequins), B Vunipola (Saracens), M Vunipola (Saracens), H Williams (Exeter), M Wilson (Newcastle).

Backs: C Ashton (Sale), M Brown (Harlequins), D Care (Harlequins), J Cokanasiga (Bath), E Daly (Wasps), N Earle (Harlequins), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Leicester), A Lozowski (Saracens), J May (Leicester), J Nowell (Exeter), D Robson (Wasps), H Slade (Exeter), B Te'o (Worcester), M Tuilagi (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester).