The 32-man group will compete in the Under-20 6 Nations in the New Year before heading to South Africa for the IRB Junior World Championship next June.
Ford is among eight survivors of this year’s Junior World Championship final against New Zealand, while last season’s squad also enjoyed a 6 Nations Grand Slam, scoring 30 tries in their five games.
Recent graduates of the Under-20 set up include Rugby World Cup squad men Manu Tuilagi, Ben Youngs, Courtney Lawes, Alex Corbisiero and Joe Simpson.
RFU head of elite player development Stuart Lancaster said: “We think this is a very strong squad with competition for places in each position and it reflects really well on all the work the regional academies are doing.
“A lot of these players have come through our age-group international programme and have recently been on the successful tour to Australia. We feel that this group combined with the players who represented the 20s in last year’s programme and others who are starting to push through reflects how well the development pathway is working.”
England U20 Elite Player Squad 2011/12
Forwards
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)*
Nick Auterac (Saracens)
Alec Hepburn (London Wasps)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Nathan Morris (London Wasps)
Scott Spurling (Saracens)
Koree Britton (Gloucester Rugby)*
Sam Twomey (Harlequins)*
George Merrick (Harlequins)
Tom Price (Leicester Tigers)
Dom Barrow (Leeds Carnegie)
Ben Nutley (Northampton Saints)
Chris Walker (Leeds Carnegie)
Matt Kvesic (Worcester Warriors)*
Billy Vunipola (London Wasps)
Will Skuse (Bath Rugby)
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Backs
Dan Robson (Gloucester Rugby)*
Alex Day (Northampton Saints)
Ben Spencer (Saracens)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)*
Ryan Mills (Gloucester Rugby)*
Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
Elliot Daly (London Wasps)*
Jamie Elliott (Northampton Saints)*
Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks)
Marland Yarde (London Irish)*
Charlie Walker (Harlequins)
Will Addison (Sale Sharks)
Ben Ransom (Saracens)*
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
* Capped by England at U20 level last season
