Worcester Warriors centre Ben Te’o and Harlequins full-back Mike Brown are among four players to have been dropped from head coach Eddie Jones’ England squad to face Wales on Sunday, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have announced.
Te’o and Brown, as well as Harlequins No. 8 Alex Dombrandt and Saracens scrum-half Ben Spencer, have not been included in the 33-man squad to face Six Nations champions Wales in England’s first Quilter International test.
All four players were included in England’s 12-day training camp in Treviso, Italy but failed to make a big enough impression to be included in the squad.
“We have worked hard and now move into a four-game preparation phase where the development of the team tactically is paramount,” Jones said in a statement. “We are grateful for the strong opposition to test our game fitness.
“Players excluded from being involved in this camp are naturally disappointed but may get another opportunity, so they must be ready.
“By the time we fly out on Sept. 8, we will be ready to win the Rugby World Cup. We are not there yet but we have four games to get ready.”
Brown is the most experienced of the four players included in the World Cup training camp in Italy now left out of the side, scoring 65 points in 73 international caps.
Winger Jack Nowell — who was sent home from England’s training camp in Italy — is included in the squad to continue his rehabilitation from an ankle surgery.
England face Wales on Saturday in the first of two test matches, before home and away tests against Ireland later this month, as part of the Quilter Internationals ahead of their Rugby World Cup opener in Japan against Tonga on Sept. 22.