*denotes uncapped players
Matchday teams will appear in
when announced.
The latest squad changes will appear in
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ENGLAND announced their training squad for the 2015 RBS 6 Nations game v Wales on 21st January 2015.
There are returns for six British & Irish Lions – Alex Corbisero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Tom Youngs and Mako Vunipola to the Seniors and Tom Croft to the Saxons – with Harlequins No 8 Nick Easter coming in following the injury to Ben Morgan and Graham Kitchener for Courtney Lawes who has had minor ankle surgery.
Saracens lock Maro Itoje, captain of England’s Under 20s Junior World Championship winning side last June, and Bath Rugby’s Sam Burgess are named in the Saxons for the first time.
England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “Looking at both squads it’s obvious there is a lot of depth and competition in every position, which is what we want. Many players are putting their hand up in the Aviva Premiership and Europe and they have a chance to impress in training as we build towards the games against Wales and the Wolfhounds.
“It’s great to welcome back some of those players unavailable for the QBE Internationals in the autumn. They offer us a lot of quality and experience. So too Nick Easter, who has played well for Harlequins and, with the injury to Ben Morgan, both he and Tom Waldrom in the Saxons will provide us with specialist No 8 options alongside Billy Vunipola. That’s something we feel we need going into the tournament.
“We will use the four-day training camp and the Saxons game to narrow down selection as we lead into the opening game against Wales.
“The match against the Wolfhounds in Cork gives us a great opportunity to take a look at a group of players who are right on the edge of the senior squad and we also have the likes of David Strettle and Freddie Burns, who are very much in our thinking as options going forward.
Lancaster added: “Chris Robshaw will lead the team in the RBS 6 Nations. He has fully recovered from his shoulder injury and as we have seen over the last three years he is an outstanding captain who delivers consistently as a player and a leader.”
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Tom Croft and Christian Day have been called up to the England Senior training squad as injury cover for Tom Wood and Geoff Parling.
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Henry Slade and Henry Thomas will join up with the England Senior squad at Pennyhill Park this evening as injury cover for David Wilson and Kyle Eastmond.
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NOA NAKAITACI could be set to star at the 2015 RBS 6 Nations after France coach Philippe Saint-Andre included the uncapped winger in his 31-man preparatory squad.
Fijian-born wing Nakaitaci has featured regularly for Clermont and toured with France in New Zealand in 2013, though did not take to the field in a Test match.
Now the 24-year-old will fight for a place in Saint-Andre's final Championship squad ahead of Les Bleus' opener with Scotland on February 7.
Saint-Andre said: "(Nakaitaci) has become an undisputed first choice at Clermont. He scores tries and makes differences. He has progressed enormously this season."
Toulouse's Louis Picamoles is back after missing the autumn internationals through illness, while Racing Metro prop Eddy Ben Arous, Bordeaux wing Sofiane Guitoune, Castres centre Remi Lamerat and Toulon lock Romain Taofifenua also return.
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Loann Goujon could make his France debut in the 2015 RBS 6 Nations after being called up to train with the squad by head coach Philippe Saint-André following an injury to Louis Picamoles.
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Following the first weekend of the Six Nations, Saint-André has called up Vincent Debaty and Jocelino Suta to replaced injured Alexandre Flanquart, struggling with a neck injury, and Alexandre Menini who injured his foot. Gaël Fickou has returned to to his club, Toulouse.
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THE Ireland coaching staff has named a 38 player squad for the first two rounds of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.
The squad had been reduced through injury as well as a number of Wolfhounds returning to their provinces.
"Jack Conan and Michael Bent did well against the Saxons but will return to Leinster, as will Noel Reid who was restricted to a brief cameo as he was covering a number of positions. Rob Herring returns to Ulster and will look forward to having an opportunity for further game time. Fergus McFadden has a rib cartilage injury, while Craig Gilroy will follow the return to play protocols after a concussion in the Wolfhounds game," commented Ireland Head Coach Joe Schmidt.
Dave Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald are expected to be fully fit to train in preparation for Italy, while Eoin Reddan and Jamie Heaslip are progressing well and are likely to be available to train fully on Tuesday.
Mike McCarthy suffered a concussion during the Wolfhounds game and will stay with the squad while completing the return to play protocols. Cian Healy continues to make very promising progress post his hamstring injury.
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ITALY head coach Jacques Brunel today announced a 30-man squad ahead of the first two rounds of the 2015 RBS 6 Nations.
The Azzurri will assemble in Rome from January 25 to 28 ahead of their home debut against reigning champions Ireland on February 7 in Rome's Stadio Olimpico. One week later, Brunel's side will face England at Twickenham.
Brunel, in his fourth season as Azzurri's supremo, confirmed 25 men from the autumn internationals' squad, while centurion flanker Mauro Bergamasco and winger Giovanbattista Venditti re-join the squad after missing the November Tests.
Four uncapped players are named in the Italian squad: 22-year-old centre Giulio Bisegni and 23-year-old winger Michele Visentin, both from Pro12 team Zebre Rugby, are the newcomers alongside Benetton Treviso's utility back Simone Ragusi - who was part of November's squad but didn't make his debut- and 21-year-old scrum-half Marcello Violi, the only player from the Italian domestic championship Eccellenza to be called-up.
Violi, who's playing his club rugby for Italian reigning champion Cammi Calvisano, was recently selected as a permit player by Zebre Rugby, coming off the bench at Parc y Scarlets in the autumn as a replacement scrum-half for former All Black Brendan Leonard in the second half.
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Quintin Geldenhuys' participation in this year's RBS 6 Nations campaign looks in doubt after the FIR confirmed he will be out for 45 days with a knee injury. The 33-year-old forward, who has 52 appearances for Italy, suffered the injury to his right knee while training with the Italy squad earlier this week.
Geldenhuys has been an important player for the Azzurri in recent RBS 6 Nations, appearing in every single match over the last five years. Italy coach Jacques Brunel has called up Benetton Treviso lock Marco Fuser as cover for the opening two fixtures.
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HEAD COACH Vern Cotter has again targeted form and youthful ambition with selection of the Scotland squad for the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations.
Among the 32 men are four young Edinburgh Rugby players who have been offered their first shot at senior international honours: 21-year-old scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22-year-old forwards Ben Toolis (lock) and Hugh Blake (back-row), and 24-year-old back-row Hamish Watson.
Hidalgo-Clyne has been in the form of his fledgling career this season, featuring in every Edinburgh Rugby game so far (starting 12 of 18), with his match-winning goal kicking a recent addition to an already impressive armoury.
Back-row Watson is another to have played through the Scottish age-grade sides and come the club's development programme, after his move north from the Leicester Tigers Academy four years ago.
This season the specialist openside has come into his own, with his pace and work-rate earning him an invite to train in the autumn, only for a broken jaw sustained in European competition to end his chances of, until now, taking the step into the senior Scotland squad.
Like Hidalgo-Clyne, 6ft 7in lock Toolis is another player who has impressed through opportunity, by stepping into the breach for injured lock Grant Gilchrist for club, and now country, since he joined the side's academy from Australia in the summer of 2013.
Finally, new Edinburgh Rugby recruit Blake comes into the squad for the first time having arrived in Scotland from Super Rugby side, Highlanders, in December.
Scotland Head Coach, Vern Cotter, said: "All these players have worked hard and have shown great ambition to seize this opportunity. That's the type of player we want in this environment.
"They have impressed me with their desire to go forward, and reflect the Scottish spirit of attacking and leading, to develop into impressive performers.”
The quartet will join a further seven of their capital club mates, including Greig Tonks, selected for Scotland for the first time since his positional switch to stand-off, having made his first and only international appearance at full-back against Samoa on the 2013 summer tour.
The squad is also boosted by the return of 21-times capped centre Matt Scott, who missed last year's summer tour and viagogo Autumn Test campaigns, with shoulder and hand injuries respectively.
Despite the strong capital contingent, Glasgow Warriors – currently second in the Guinness PRO12 – continue to contribute the majority of the squad, with 15 players all in.
Among them is centre Mark Bennett who, like Scott, has recovered from a hamstring injury to return to the fold. Tight-head prop Jon Welsh (absent through a shoulder injury) also earns a recall, while Peter Horne could feature for the first time since the summer tour.
The group is completed by a further six players from clubs outside Scotland: captain Greig Laidlaw, Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton, Alasdair Strokosch, Blair Cowan and Geoff Cross, who return to the squad following their part in the 2014 viagogo Autumn Tests.
Scotland Head Coach, Vern Cotter, added: "We are approaching this RBS 6 Nations looking to perform and develop.
"It will be a great process for us and I know the players are looking forward to it.
"Obviously we'll be facing some very good sides, four of which are above us in the world rankings, however we have nothing to hide going into this year.”
He continued: "The players will want to characterise the traditional traits of the Scottish game; attacking with ferocity, destabilising the opposition and trying to play smart.
"Every time they pull on the jersey they will want to express themselves fully, so it's with excitement that we look to the Six Nations, because we want to see how far we can compete, how well we can adapt, and how well we can equip ourselves in this very tough competition.
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Castres number 8 Johnnie Beattie has been added to the Scotland squad to re-enforce the group for the forthcoming RBS 6 Nations.
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Scotland duo David Denton and Sean Maitland will miss the start of the 2015 RBS 6 Nations championship through injury. The pair sustained calf and shoulder injuries respectively the last weekend of European Cup action and were subsequently been ruled out of contention for the start of the international campaign.
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WARREN GATLAND has named a 34-man Wales squad to contest the 2015 RBS 6 Nations, which includes four uncapped players.
Scarlets prop Rob Evans, Cardiff Blues duo Kristian Dacey and Gareth Anscombe and Newport Gwent Dragon, Tyler Morgan are named as the uncapped quartet and will meet up with the squad when they begin preparations for the tournament.
Scott Andrews and Gareth Davies are recalled and join 28 players who were involved in the recent Dove Men Series.
In the front row, former Wales U20 prop Evans, who has impressed in his 17 outings for the Scarlets this season, joins the experienced Gethin Jenkins and Paul James. Hookers Richard Hibbard, Scott Baldwin and uncapped Dacey join Aaron Jarvis, Samson Lee and Andrews completing the front-row contingent. The second rows remain unchanged from the autumn campaign with Alun Wyn Jones, Jake Ball, Bradley Davies and Luke Charteris all named.
Gatland's back-row options include Ospreys trio Dan Lydiate, James King and Justin Tipuric along with captain Sam Warburton and Newport Gwent Dragons' Taulupe Faletau. Gareth Davies, who earned his first cap against South Africa last summer, returns from injury to be included along with Mike Phillips and Rhys Webb. Dan Biggar and Rhys Priestland are joined by Anscombe who is named in a Wales squad for the first time.
Wales' midfield options include British and Irish Lions duo Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies along with Scott Williams, Cory Allen and Morgan. Morgan, who recently signed a National Dual Contract, has also been named in the Wales U20 squad and he will be released from the senior camp to link up with the age-group side during the campaign. Leigh Halfpenny, Liam Williams, George North, Alex Cuthbert and Hallam Amos are named as the back-three options.
"It's great to be able to name such an experienced squad that also boasts some exciting young talent,” said Gatland.
"The four uncapped players have all been going well for their respective regions and it will be good to see them in this environment and we hope they take the opportunity. They come into a squad packed with experience and that experience will be important to us over the next eight weeks and the year as a whole.
"We all know how tough the Six Nations is and we kick the tournament off with a huge game against England and that is something you have to be excited about and look forward to.
"We were pleased on the whole with the autumn campaign and this is another opportunity for us as we look ahead to a very big year in the rugby calendar.”
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