Hill and Slade kept in England squad

By Mark Stevens
17/11/20

Exeter Chiefs duo Jonny Hill and Henry Slade have both been retained in Eddie Jones’ 25-man England squad for this weekend’s Quilter International against Ireland.

England will look to continue their winning start to the Autumn Nations Cup at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday (3pm KO), after beating Georgia 40-0 in their opening fixture.

Second-row Hill - who made his Test debut in the Guinness Six Nations Championship win against Italy a fortnight ago - is recalled to the squad having missed the Georgia game.

Slade, meanwhile, is expected to keep his place in the England midfield having started the last two fixtures. However, club-mate Harry Williams has not been retained despite spending much of this week training with the squad.

Elsewhere, Harlequins duo Joe Marchant (rehabilitation) and Joe Marler (reconditioning) will stay with the squad at England’s training base, The Lensbury in Teddington, but Newcastle’s Mark Wilson has returned home to continue his rehabilitation.

England will play their final group game in Llanelli, against hosts Wales, at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday, November 28 (4pm). Their final Quilter International, a tournament placing game, will be played at Twickenham on Sunday, December 6 (2pm).

Saturday’s game is live on Amazon Prime and Channel 4.

ENGLAND SQUAD TO FACE IRELAND

Backs

Elliot Daly (Saracens, 44 caps)
Owen Farrell (Saracens, 85 caps)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 69 caps)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 52 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors, 2 caps)
Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 1 cap)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 58 caps)
Dan Robson (Wasps, 4 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 31 caps)
Ollie Thorley (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 101 caps)

Forwards

Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 25 caps)
Tom Dunn (Bath Rugby, 2 caps)
Ben Earl (Bristol Bears, 5 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 20 caps)
Jamie George (Saracens, 51 caps)
Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 1 cap)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 40 caps)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 66 caps)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 8 caps)
Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 37 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 5 caps)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 19 caps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 53 caps)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 61 caps)