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Stuart Lancaster believes three of England's orthopaedically challenged brigade – the Northampton full-back Ben Foden, the London Irish wing Marland Yarde and the Bath prop David Wilson – may return to fitness in time for the mid-point match of the Six Nations Championship, against Ireland at Twickenham on 22 February. The head coach did not say so openly, but he would surely take Wilson over the other two at this stage of proceedings.
The front-rower's calf injury, sustained before Christmas and more serious than initially thought, has left England in serious difficulties on the tight-head side of the scrum. Dan Cole, the senior No 3 in the country, is fully fit at present, although two weekends of Heineken Cup rugby could change all that.
The only other candidate for duty against France at the start of next month is the uncapped Henry Thomas, who cannot force a place in Sale's front row as things currently stand but is pretty much guaranteed a seat on the England bench in Paris.
Lancaster is seriously worried about the state of play in the grunt-and-groan department, especially as France have Thomas Domingo of Clermont Auvergne, one of the most awkward front-row customers of all, in their training party for the latest instalment of the long-running rugby soap opera known as "Le Crunch". However, he tried his level best to put a brave face on it.
"Losing David is a big blow, but I think Henry will be all right," he said. "If you think of him next to Dylan Hartley or Tom Youngs at hooker, with a Joe Launchbury and a Tom Wood behind him, he'll have a lot of experience in his corner. He's spent a lot of time in our camp over recent months, so he knows how we operate. This is his chance to prove he's ready for international rugby."
Wales, the Six Nations champions who wrecked England's dream of a Grand Slam in Cardiff last March, are likely to have the Lions centre Jamie Roberts in the selection mix ahead of their opening tournament match against Italy at the Millennium Stadium in a little over three weeks' time.
Roberts is suffering from a knee injury but the French club Racing Métro expect him to be fit for action next weekend against Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup.
Show all 44 1 /44Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Alex Corbisiero Although he will miss the Six Nations, the Northampton Saints prop has been retained with an eye on the summer Tour of New Zealand.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Joe Marler Marler will likely deputise for Corbisiero, and he continues to improve as in Test experience increases.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Mako Vunipola Having burst onto the scene last season, the Saracens prop has had to deal with injury this campaign. Could continue his role as an impact replacement.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Matt Mullan* Called-up as cover during the autumn internationals, the Wasps prop has two caps for his name, and will provide cover for the Six Nations.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Dave Wilson Another front-row that has been made unavailable for the Six Nation due to injury. harsh, as he has shown a vast improvement other the last two years to merit his inclusion.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Henry Thomas* The Sale Sharks youngster has been tipped for a bright future, although the loss of his first team place at his club has prompted some questions over his readiness for the Six Nations.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Dan Cole The Leicester Tigers front-row will be integral to England's hopes of building a strong platform at the scrum.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Dylan Hartley Hartley appears to have got over his disciplinary issues to return as England's leading hooker. His competition with Tom Youngs has been delightful to watch.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Tom Youngs Youngs offers more dynamism across the park, which could be used to full effect if he comes off the bench in the latter stages. Questions remain though over his lineout success.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Rob Webber* Webber was another to impress on the Argentina tour, and will provide cover for the Six Nations, with Lancaster choosing to stick with two props in his EPS squad.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Courtney Lawes Lawes emerged over the course of 2013 as England's go-to man in the line-out (don't mention the word 'enforcer') and he brings a physical edge that England have lacked in recent times.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Joe Launchbury Launchbury has cemented his place in Lancaster's side since making his debut in 2012. A bright talent that on his day can be crucial to England's hopes of winning.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Dave Attwood Attwood shone on the summer Tour of Argentina, and has continued his fine form for Bath from last season into this term. A few doubts over his fitness, but should be fine for the majority of the tournament.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Geoff Parling Parling lost his place at the beginning of the autumn when he suffered a concussion, and his injury woes have continued as a shoulder injury will rule him out of the Six Nations.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Ed Slater* Slater has been rewarded for his impressive form throughout the Tigers past two seasons. Could be called upon to provide cover should anything happen to Lawes, Launchbury or Attwood.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Tom Wood Always a potential captain candidate, the Northampton Saints flanker has been one of the standout performers in the red rose for some time.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Chris Robshaw When critics hit out at him, Robshaw defies them. Questions over his captaincy credentials last year saw him produce another exemplary series in which his side came ever-so-close to beating the All Blacks.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Tom Croft What does this man need to do to catch a break? A serious knee injury has already ruled him out of the rest of the season, but such is his importance that Lancaster will not have hesitated in retaining him in the squad.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Matt-Kvesic.jpg Kvesic hasn't pushed on as much as he would have hoped since his move to Gloucester, but showed some signs of his disruptive best in the recent victory over his former side Worcester.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Tom Johnson* The Exeter Chiefs flanker has been a huge reason behind their rise through English rugby in recent years, but he continues to suffer with small knocks and injuries which hamper his chances of competing for a regular squad place.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Billy Vunipola Vunipola was earmarked as England's main ball carrier in the autumn, and was thus double (and sometimes triple)-team by defenders.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Ben Morgan Suffered with second-season syndrome on the Test scene, he has seen himself fall behind Vunipola in the pecking order. Has shown recent signs of a return to form though.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Lee Dickson The current incumbent of the number nine shirt, although failed to live up to expectations in the autumn. Plenty of pressure coming from the other scrum-halfs included in the squad.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Danny Care The livewire option for England if Lancaster ever desires, Care's ability to maintain his level of form for Harlequins appears now to have been matched with his ability to stay out of trouble.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Ben Youngs Youngs did well in his appearances off the bench against the southern hemisphere side's and he will be desperate to regain his starting berth in the Six Nations.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Richard Wigglesworth* The Saracens nine has been out of contention for some time, which is part of the reason he has been allowed to perform for Sarries week-in, week-out.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Owen Farrell A proven match-winner, Farrell's goal-kicking will be integral to any hopes England have of championship glory. Will need to up his game in the lose though with significant pressure coming from George Ford.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad George Ford Likely to earn is debut at some point during the campaign, Ford's hugely impressive form for Bath have led to calls that he should displace Farrell in the starting line-up. Unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Freddie Burns At one point he was applying serious pressure on Farrell, but a drop in form and now injury has scuppered his chances of doing so in the Six Nations.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Stephen Myler* Myler got his chance during the Tour of Argentina, and he appears to have impressed as he will provide cover for the absent Burns during the Six Nations.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Billy Twelvetrees Twelvetrees' England career to date has been somewhat inconsistent. A try on his debut vindicated Lancaster's decision to throw him in at the deep end, but he has shown a slight weakness when confronted by a powerful 12 opposite him. Henry Trinder's ansence from the squad suggests he could partner Brad Barritt in the centre.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Brad Barritt The centre has done well to recover from a long-term ankle injury to return for Saracens in recent weeks, and has been rewarded with an immediate return to the squad having missed the autumn programme.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Kyle Eastmond The rugby league convert continues to impress in the west country, and his name continues to be linked with the England midfield if they are to adjust to an attacking style of play. His handling capabilities would certain take pressure off the fly-half.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Manu Tuilagi - injured The absence of England's wrecking ball of a centre will bu hugely felt, given his moments of unstoppable brilliance and ability to attract more than one defender to create space.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Luther Burrell* Burrell is another to have had a standout first half of the season, and with Lancaster said to be a big fan of the hard running, ball-crashing centre, he could find himself in the side come February 1.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Christian Wade - injured Wade is another to have already been ruled out of the championship, which is a great shame given England's suspect flare in attack.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Marland Yarde - injured He got his chance in the autumn, only to suffer a torn hip tendon that will keep him out of the tournament. With Wade already absent, Yarde could have cemented his place in the England line-up, but instead he will be watching from the stands as he continues to recover.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Chris Ashton Could well have been dropped had it not been for England's injury crisis on the wing. Returned to try-scoring ways a Twickenham during the autumn programme, and while questions remain over his defence, he can provide a spark out of nothing as he has shown for Saracens in recent weeks.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Jonny May* Tipped with an England call-up, May has just gone a bit quiet in recent weeks, but he makes the cut as cover for England's mounting problems out wide.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Jack Nowell* England's breakthrough player of the year so far, Nowell has impressed many on both the Premiership and Heineken Cup this season. call-up as cover is fully deserved for the Chiefs wing.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Anthony Watson* Like Nowell, has been named as cover, but his tremendous form for Bath in recent weeks could see Lancaster take a gamble and hand him his first cap in the starting line-up. Would be a bold move, but one that could definitely produce the right noises.
Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Ben Foden - injured Foden is currently out of action after undergoing surgery, but his best chances of featuring in the starting XV appear to be on the wing, given the tremendous form of Mike Brown.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Mike Brown Probably the first name on the teamsheet (even before the captain), England's player of the series in the autumn was nothing short of brilliant as he returned to his natural position of full-back from a moderate spell on the wing. A safe pair of hands to rely on at the back.
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Stuart Lancaster names England EPS squad Alex Goode He had appeared to nail down the 15 shirt for years to come, but a poorly timed injury (is there ever a good time?) combined with Brown's resurgence has seen him slip down the pecking order. His natural ability remains unquestioned.
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