Gloucester fly-half Danny Cipriani has been added to England’s 31-man provisional World Cup training squad.
The 31-year-old, who was named Premiership player of the year and RPA players’ player of the year last season after leading Gloucester to their first playoff appearance in eight years, is believed to have been brought in as emergency cover at scrum-half.
Cipriani has scored 64 points from his 16 international caps but has not played for England since June 2018 when he was influential in a test match win over South Africa.
His hopes of making head coach Eddie Jones’ final squad for the tournament in Japan remain slim, with players from Premiership finalists Exeter Chiefs and Saracens still to be added next week.
Saracens’ fly-half Owen Farrell and lock Maro Itoje, as well as Exeter Chiefs’ centre Henry Slade and winger Jack Nowell, are among the players expected to be included in next week’s final training squad.
Uncapped Gloucester pair half-back Willi Heinz and centre Ollie Thorley have also been drafted in, as well as Northampton Saints’ lock Courtney Lawes and fly-half Piers Francis.
Previously included prop Kyle Sinckler and fly-half Marcus Smith will return to their club, Harlequins, next week.
The originally named 29-man World Cup training squad that met last weekend included four uncapped payers but the experienced trio of hooker Dylan Hartley, scrum-half Danny Care and flanker Chris Robshaw were left out of the squad.
The Rugby World Cup kicks off on Sept. 20 with England facing Tonga in their opening encounter in Sapporo two days later. They will also France, Argentina and the USA in Pool C.