You are in > manchester.com  > News > Six cut from World Cup squad

Rugby Union

Six cut from World Cup squad

13/07/2007

England head coach Brian Ashton has cut six players from his 46-man World Cup training squad as he begins to think about the final 30 who will take part in the tournament.

Gloucester players Olly Morgan and Andy Hazell have been given the boot, along with Sale number eight Magnus Lund, Leicester lock Louis Deacon, utility back Shane Geraghty and Wasps centre Fraser Waters.

The original 47-man squad was reduced by one earlier this week when prop Julian White withdrew himself from the selection process for the World Cup for personal reasons.

"It's been a very difficult decision to let the six players go. They have all worked hard in training and it's been good working with them," Ashton said.

"I've taken the decision to reduce the squad now because I've had a good look at everybody in the training camp and it's important that we spend more time giving consideration to those who will make the 22 for the first of our warm up games."

The final squad will be named on August 14th, but before that date England will play two warm-up matches at Twickenham against Wales on August 4th and France on the 11th.

There will also be a final match against World Cup hosts France in Marseilles on August 18th ahead of the tournament starting in September.

Ashton also said he was considering "a further cut" following next week's training programme, which begins on Tuesday. However he refused to comment on who or how many may be in the firing line.

Remaining players in England's 40-man World Cup training squad:

FORWARDS–
Steve Borthwick (Bath)
George Chuter (Leicester Tigers)
Martin Corry (Leicester Tigers)
Lawrence Dallaglio (London Wasps)
Nick Easter (Harlequins)
Perry Freshwater (Perpignan)
James Haskell (London Wasps)
Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers)
Lee Mears (Bath)
Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Palmer (London Wasps)
Tom Rees (London Wasps)
Mark Regan (Bristol)
Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks)
Matt Stevens (Bath)
Phil Vickery (London Wasps)
Dan Ward-Smith (Bristol)
Joe Worsley (London Wasps)
Kevin Yates (Saracens)

BACKS–
Nick Abendanon (Bath)
Olly Barkley (Bath)
Mike Catt (London Irish)
Danny Cipriani (London Wasps)
Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
Andrew Farrell (Saracens)
Toby Flood (Newcastle Falcons)
Andrew Gomarsall (Harlequins)
Dan Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers)
Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks)
Josh Lewsey (London Wasps)
Jamie Noon (Newcastle Falcons)
Shaun Perry (Bristol)
Peter Richards (Gloucester)
Jason Robinson (Sale Sharks)
Paul Sackey (London Wasps)
David Strettle (Harlequins)
Mathew Tait (Newcastle Falcons)
Mike Tindall (Gloucester)
Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle Falcons)

© Adfero Ltd