MY ACCOUNT
Billy Vunipola and Danny Care have returned to the England fold as head coach Eddie Jones announced the squad for the upcoming tour to Australia.
Vunipola has not featured for England since last year’s Six Nations, but comes into the squad after injuries to Alex Dombrandt and Sam Simmonds.
The 29-year-old suffered a head injury in Saracens’ Premiership final loss to Leicester Tigers on Saturday but is fit to join up with an England side that were hammered 52-21 by the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday.
Care also features, having not earned a cap since 2018, as England’s most-capped international and fellow scrum-half Ben Youngs stays at home due to family reasons.
Jones has included eight uncapped players in the 36-man squad.
Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Guy Porter, Patrick Schickerling, Jack van Poortvliet, Jack Walker, Henry Arundell and Will Joseph will hope for their first competitive caps Down Under.
England have not played in Australia since 2016, when they won all three of the games. They also overcame the Wallabies in the quarter-finals of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and are on an eight-match winning streak against their old rivals.
Jones’ side ultimately went on to lose the final to South Africa, but they are turning their attention to next year’s World Cup in France as they look for their first title since 2003.
England will open the series against Australia in Perth on July 2, before games in Brisbane and Sydney.
England squad in full
Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Charlie Ewels, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Joe Heyes, Jonny Hill, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Bevan Rodd, Patrick Schickerling, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Jack Walker, Jack Willis.
Backs: Henry Arundell, Danny Care, Joe Cokanasiga, Fraser Dingwall, Owen Farrell, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Will Joseph, Joe Marchant, Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Guy Porter, Harry Randall, Jack van Poortvliet, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward.
