CHRIS Pennell has been named in the England Saxons squad to play against Ireland Wolfhounds at the end of this month.
The Warriors full-back missed the start of the 2014/15 season with a groin injury but has since bounced back to full fitness and earned himself a recall to the international fold for next Friday’s (January 30) game in Cork.
Pennell, who made his England debut last summer against the All Blacks, and grabbed his first international try against the Crusaders in Christchurch was also nominated for the Aviva Premiership Player of the Season award after playing every minute of every match in the last campaign.
The 27-year-old will now join up with his Saxons teammates on Monday (January 26) at the Lensbury Club before flying to Ireland.
Meanwhile there are returns for six British & Irish Lions – Alex Corbisero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Tom Youngs and Mako Vunipola to the England Senior squad, and Tom Croft to the Saxons – with Harlequins number-eight Nick Easter coming in following the injury to Ben Morgan, and Graham Kitchener for Courtney Lawes who has had minor ankle surgery.
Saracens lock Maro Itoje, captain of England’s Under 20 Junior World Championship winning side last June, and Bath Rugby’s Sam Burgess, are named in the Saxons for the first time.
England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “Looking at both squads it’s obvious there is a lot of depth and competition in every position, which is what we want.
“Many players are putting their hand up in the Aviva Premiership and Europe and they have a chance to impress in training as we build towards the games against Wales and the Wolfhounds.
“It’s great to welcome back some of those players unavailable for the QBE Internationals in the autumn. They offer us a lot of quality and experience.
“So too Nick Easter, who has played well for Harlequins and, with the injury to Ben Morgan, both he and Tom Waldrom in the Saxons will provide us with specialist number-eight options alongside Billy Vunipola.
“That’s something we feel we need going into the tournament.
“We have plenty of players to consider and with some players still being assessed from last weekend after suffering knocks we have kept our options open.
“We will use the four-day training camp and the Saxons game to narrow down selection as we lead into the opening game against Wales.
“The match against the Wolfhounds in Cork gives us a great opportunity to take a look at a group of players who are right on the edge of the senior squad.”
England Senior training squad
Forwards
Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby)
Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Corbisiero (Northampton Saints)
Nick Easter (Harlequins)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Backs
Brad Barritt (Saracens)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
England Saxons squad
Forwards
Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
Christian Day (Northampton Saints)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)
Matt Garvey (Bath Rugby)
Ross Harrison (Sale Sharks)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby)
Matt Mullan (Wasps)
Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby)
Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs)
Alex Waller (Northampton Saints)
Rob Webber (Bath Rugby)
Backs
Chris Ashton (Saracens)
Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, captain)
Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors)
Joe Simpson (Wasps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Marland Yarde (Harlequins)
Christian Wade (Wasps)