By Kath 9/7/03
July 9 2003

Clive Woodward England's Rugby Union Head Coach, named 43 players to link up with him for 'World Cup Trials'training on the 21st of July.

Clive has 36 players joining the camp on the 21st July and the remaining 7 who toured North America and Japan will link up on the 28th July.

Clive said, “This squad of players is based on the fact that everyone is fit to play in the three world cup preparation games. There are still a couple of players who have an outside chance of making the squad on September 8^th and I will be monitoring them through their clubs. This however will be subject to me seeing them play or being happy with their medical reports prior to that date."

It is good to see that a number of the Churchill Cup Winners have been included in this training squad.  The England 'A' players won all five matches they played, with some individual outstanding performances.  

Clive said “I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in the Churchill Cup and Japan tour, especially the coaches Jim Mallinder and Steve Diamond who made a huge contribution to the tour and gave me important feedback for the selection of the squad".

This recognition by Clive is hugely important to the whole England  'A' set up.  It makes all the effort put in by coaches and players worthwhile, remember no caps were awarded on their tour but the carrot was dangled! 

So here is the World Cup preparation squad!  Clive will be wielding the axe and cutting this down to a 30 man squad on 8th September.  Not sure if I would want to be in his position, would you?

ENGLAND SQUAD

BACKS

Stuart Abbott (London Wasps)
Iain Balshaw (Bath)
Kyran Bracken (Saracens)
Ben Cohen (Northampton Saints)
Matt Dawson (Northampton Saints)
Will Greenwood (NEC Harlequins)
Alex King (London Wasps)
Andy Gomarsall (Gloucester)
Paul Grayson (Northampton Saints)
Austin Healey (Leicester Tigers)
Josh Lewsey (London Wasps)
Dan Luger (Perpignan)
Jamie Noon (Newcastle Falcons)
Jason Robinson (Sale Sharks)
Dan Scarbrough (Leeds Tykes)
James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester)
Ollie Smith (Leicester Tigers)
Mike Tindall (Bath)
Dave Walder ( Newcastle Falcons)
Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle Falcons)

FORWARDS

Neil Back (Leicester Tigers)
Steve Borthwick (Bath)
Martin Corry (Leicester Tigers)
Lawrence Dallaglio (London Wasps)
Will Green (London Wasps)
Danny Grewcock ( Bath)
Andy Hazell ( Gloucester)
Richard Hill (Saracens)
Martin Johnson (Leicester Tigers ) CAPTAIN
Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers)
Jason Leonard (NEC Harlequins)
Lewis Moody ( Leicester Tigers)
Mark Regan (Leeds Tykes)
Graham Rowntree (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Sanderson (Sale Sharks)
Simon Shaw (London Wasps)
Andy Titterell ( Sale Sharks)
Steve Thompson (Northampton Saints)
Phil Vickery (Gloucester)
Dorian West ( Leicester Tigers)
Julian White (Leicester Tigers)
Trevor Woodman (Gloucester)
Joe Worsley (London Wasps)

NOT INVITED TO TRAINING BUT ON RWC ACCREDITED LIST OF 50 PLAYERS:

Alex Brown (Gloucester)
Phil Christophers (Leeds Tykes)
Jamie Forrester (Gloucester)
Phil Greening (London Wasps)
Ben Johnston (Saracens)
Martyn Wood (  Bath)
Mike Worsley (NEC Harlequins )