Manu Tuilagi joins three Leicester Tigers team-mates in a 36-man England squad for a training camp ahead of the autumn international period.
Tigers centre Tuilagi is joined by George Ford, Jonny May and Ben Youngs in the selection made by England head coach Eddie Jones. The group will go to Portugal next week for a training camp to prepare for the first match of the Quilter Internationals against South Africa.
There are eight uncapped players named in the squad – Joe Cokanasiga, Nathan Earle, Ted Hill, Zach Mercer, Ben Moon, Michael Rhodes, Nick Schonert and Elliott Stooke – while Ben Morgan is included for the first time since 2015.
Jones has confirmed that Owen Farrell and Dylan Hartley will be co-captains for the four-Test autumn series.
Eddie Jones said: “I’m really happy with the squad. We can only control what we can control and injuries have happened. It gives an opportunity for some good new players to play some important Tests for England while players who have been in the squad before, will have to take on more responsibility.
“I have named Dylan and Owen as co-captains for the series. They have both been excellent captains for England in the past and will provide a powerful leadership base for us on and off the field."
On the training camp in Portugal, Jones added: “We have taken a slightly different approach this year. With the World Cup in mind we are going to Portugal in the middle of next week until the Thursday of the Test week so will be back to train at Twickenham the day before we play South Africa. As well as giving the players a different experience, it also gives them some rest after their club matches before joining up with England.
“The Portugal camp is about getting the team organised. The players have all been playing in different systems and with different ideas at their clubs, so it’s about producing a team that is absolutely brutal in the physical contest, as the game demands, and also playing a smart English brand of rugby.”
England will play South Africa (November 3), New Zealand (November 10), Japan (November 17) and Australia (November 24) at Twickenham.
A 23-man squad will be confirmed on Tuesday, October 30 ahead of the Test against the Springboks.
England squad
Forwards (20)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) co-captain
Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs)
Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors) *
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby)
Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Michael Rhodes (Saracens)
Nick Schonert (Worcester Warriors)
Brad Shields (Wasps)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)
Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
Backs (16)
Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby)
Elliot Daly (Wasps)
Nathan Earle (Harlequins)
Owen Farrell (Saracens) co-captain
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
Alex Lozowski (Saracens)
Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
*Apprentice
Unavailable for selection
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
Nathan Hughes (Wasps)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Dan Robson (Wasps)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
