England have included 13 capped internationals in a 27-man training squad for the traditional end-of-season challenge against the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 1.
The squad does not include any players from Guinness Premiership finalists Leicester and Wasps, who will meet at Twickenham 24 hours earlier, or players from European Challenge Cup finalists Bath and Worcester.
Charlie Hodgson and Toby Flood will provide the fly-half options in a squad which features a mix of players heading to New Zealand on the senior England tour and those playing for the Saxons at the Barclays Churchill Cup. But there is no place for Gloucester fly-half Ryan Lamb, who will discover tomorrow whether he will be promoted from the Saxons to replace the injured Danny Cipriani in New Zealand.
"We've picked a very strong England squad to prepare for the match against the Barbarians with all the players selected for the training week travelling with either the England senior team or the Saxons this summer," said Rob Andrew, elite rugby director and England's tour manager for New Zealand.
"There a lot of caps among the backs and with so many forwards tied up with their clubs in the Guinness Premiership and European Challenge Cup finals a number of players in the Saxons squad will have their opportunity to put a marker down for future senior team selection."
The final 22-man squad will be announced next Wednesday.
Preliminary England squad to play the Barbarians at Twickenham
Forwards: A Clarke (Bristol), N Easter (Harlequins), T Guest (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), J Hobson (Bristol), S Hooper (Leeds Carnegie), C Jones (Sale Sharks), N Kennedy (London Irish), N Lloyd (Saracens), L Narraway (Gloucester), D Paice (London Irish), C Robshaw (Harlequins), W Skinner (Harlequins), D Wilson (Newcastle Falcons).
Backs: A Allen (Gloucester), M Brown (Harlequins), D Care (Harlequins), T Flood (Newcastle Falcons), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), U Monye (Harlequins), J Noon (Newcastle Falcons), T Ojo (London Irish), P Richards (London Irish), D Strettle (Harlequins), M Tait (Newcastle Falcons), M Tindall (Gloucester), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks).
Sunday June 1, kick-off 3pm
