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Saxons call for Tigers quartet

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Four Leicester Tigers players have been included in the England Saxons training squad preparing to face Irish Wolfhounds at Kingsholm in Gloucester next Saturday.

Graham Kitchener and Mathew Tait have been joined in the squad by Jamie Gibson and Miles Benjamin.

England Saxons have named a 25-man training squad including 10 players called in from outside the Saxons Elite Player Squad, nine of whom are making their first appearances at this level.

Alex Waller (Northampton Saints), Dave Ward, Charlie Matthews (both Harlequins) and Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons), and backs Dave Lewis, Henry Slade, Sam Hill (all Exeter Chiefs), Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath) and Tom Varndell (Wasps) step up as temporary replacements for players currently injured or elevated to the Senior squad.

Joe Lydon, the RFU's head of international player development, leads the Saxons management with head coach Jon Callard assisted by Simon Hardy and Paul Gustard.

England head coach Stuart Lancaster said: "Our philosophy on selection is to give some younger players an opportunity alongside one or two more established players who are looking to push into the Senior squad.

“It is a great opportunity for players to put a marker down and show they have the ability to go from club to country and still deliver the club form many of them have been showing. The opportunities ahead of them are clear with a major tour to New Zealand to come this summer before the Rugby World Cup next year.

"In the back three, we're all excited about seeing Mathew Tait in an England shirt once more.”

Saxons face the O2 Ireland Wolfhounds at Kingsholm, Gloucester, on Saturday, January 25 (5pm, live on Sky Sports HD1).

England Saxons
Forwards

Nathan Catt (Bath Rugby)
Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)
Will Collier (Harlequins)
Sam Dickinson (Northampton Saints)
Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Jamie Gibson (Leicester Tigers)
Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)

George Kruis (Saracens)
Charlie Matthews (Harlequins)
Luke Wallace (Harlequins)
Alex Waller (Northampton Saints)
Dave Ward (Harlequins)
Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
Backs
Miles Benjamin (Leicester Tigers)

Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
Elliot Daly (London Wasps)
Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Dave Lewis (Exeter Chiefs)
Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
Mathew Tait (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Varndell (London Wasps)