Quartet in England tour squad

By Mark Stevens
20/4/17

Four Exeter Chiefs players have been named by Eddie Jones in his 31-man squad for England’s two-Test tour to Argentina in June.

Internationals Luke Cowan-Dickie and Henry Slade will be joined in the senior ranks by 15 uncapped players, including club-mates prop Harry Williams and scrum-half Jack Maunder.

Northampton's Dylan Hartley will captain the squad which will assemble at The Lensbury on Sunday, 29 May to begin their preparations for the two-Test tour which sees England play at Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan on Saturday, 10 June and Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao Lopez, Sante Fe, on Saturday, 17 June.

Jones (pictured) has made a number of enforced changes to the coaching set-up to compensate for Steve Borthwick’s absence on the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.

Jones will take responsibility of the forwards, supported by scrum coach Neal Hatley. Defence coach Paul Gustard adds the line-out and kick-off to his coaching remit and Glen Ella, who previously toured with England in Australia in 2016, will link-up with the squad in Argentina to assist Jones with the attack. The former Wallaby will be supported by skills coach Rory Teague.

“We have picked the best squad we have available and we are looking forward to going to Argentina and winning 2-0,” said England head coach Jones.

“The squad have a great opportunity to represent their country and win for England. There are a few new faces in the set-up so every training session and team meeting will count.

“The Pumas are a physically aggressive side and they have become very good at playing unstructured rugby; we need to make sure we control the structural part of the game and our defence will play an absolutely crucial role.

“Dylan Hartley will lead the side again having captained the team excellently during the RBS 6 Nations and will be supported by vice-captains Mike Brown, Danny Care and George Ford.”

England’s 31-man squad for Argentina tour

Forwards

Will Collier (Harlequins, uncapped)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 3 caps)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
Dylan Hartley – captain (Northampton Saints, 84 caps)
James Haskell (Wasps, 75 caps)
Paul Hill (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Nathan Hughes (Wasps, 8 caps)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, uncapped)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 42 caps)
Matt Mullan (Wasps, 15 caps)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 55 caps)
Sam Underhill (Ospreys/Bath Rugby, uncapped)
Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 50 caps)

Backs
Mike Brown – vice-captain (Harlequins, 60 caps)
Danny Care – vice captain (Harlequins, 71 caps)
Joe Cokanasiga (London Irish, uncapped)
Nathan Earle (Saracens, uncapped)
George Ford – vice captain (Bath Rugby, 35 caps)
Piers Francis (Auckland Blues/Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Sam James (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
Alex Lozowski (Saracens, uncapped)
Harry Mallinder (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
Joe Marchant (Harlequins, uncapped)
Jack Maunder (Exeter Chiefs, uncapped)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 25 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks, uncapped)

England’s two-Test tour to Argentina

Saturday, 10 June: Argentina v England - Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan (Kick-off 4.15pm, local time)

Saturday, 17 June: Argentina v England - Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao Lopez, Santa Fe. (Kick-off 4.15pm, local time)