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The 31 men who will defend the host nation of Rugby World Cup 2015 have been named. Head Coach Stuart Lancaster named his squad with 17 forwards and 14 backs and has drawn upon 8 of England’s 12 Aviva Premiership clubs, one less than that of France in regards to the Top 14.
History has repeated itself with former rugby league star Sam Burgess being included has been included in England’s final 31-man squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup. It follows the 2007 campaign when Andy Farrell made the roster after a late move from league to rugby. Farrell’s son, Owen, has been included in Lancaster’s roster.
The inclusion of Burgess sees Luther Burrell missing out with Exeter utility Henry Slade also having been named. Burrell’s Northampton Saints teammate Alex Corbisiero is another to have missed out. The Washington, D.C born front-rower has lost his place to Kieran Brookes while George Kruis has been preferred to Dave Attwood. Kruis was eligible to play for Canada before playing for England as his father hails from British Columbia.
England will play host to Fiji on the opening day of the World Cup on Friday September 18. Additional pool matches will see the English facing Australia, Wales and Uruguay. The top two will advance to the Quarter Finals while the remaining three will be eliminated.
FORWARDS
Kieran Brookes (Newcastle), Dan Cole (Leicester), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), David Wilson (Bath), Jamie George (Saracens), Rob Webber (Bath), Tom Youngs (Leicester), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Geoff Parling (Leicester), James Haskell (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (capt., Harlequins), Tom Wood (Northampton), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Billy Vunipola (Saracens).
BACKS
Danny Care (Harlequins), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Sam Burgess (Bath), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Henry Slade (Exeter), Jonny May (Gloucester), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Anthony Watson (Bath), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Alex Goode (Saracens).
