Danny Cipriani has completed his transformation from England outcast to potential Test starter by earning a first international call-up in six years for the tour of New Zealand.
Back from the international wilderness after enjoying his best season in many years, the 26-year-old fly-half was selected along with seven uncapped players in an initial 30-man squad named by England coach Stuart Lancaster.
Cipriani will compete with Freddie Burns, the only other No.10 in the squad, to start the first Test in Auckland on June 7.
A further batch of players, likely including first-choice England fly-half Owen Farrell, will be added to the squad after Saturday's English Premiership final between Saracens and Northampton but will only be available for the second and third Tests against the All Blacks.
"It's in Freddie's and Danny's court," England coach Stuart Lancaster said on Monday, before adding of Cipriani: "He has come up to speed, got to know the plays and built relationships with the players.
"He is excited about being here."
The uncapped players are centre Henry Trinder, fullback Chris Pennell and forwards Kieran Brookes, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Gray, Dave Ward and Ed Slater.
Cipriani was widely touted as the heir to England great Jonny Wilkinson after a brilliant Test debut against Ireland in the Six Nations in 2008, but his international career never kicked on and he drifted out of the England setup because of injury, off-field issues and concerns about his dedication to the sport.
He has shown more maturity, on and off the field, over the past season with Sale Sharks, though, and has caught the attention of Lancaster - a disciplinarian who places high demands on players in terms of their off-the-field behaviour.
Cipriani has benefited from an injury to rival No.10 George Ford, who probably would have been chosen with Burns and started the first Test but was ruled out of the tour with a shoulder injury.
SQUAD:
Forwards: Joe Marler, Matt Mullan, Kieran Brookes, Henry Thomas, David Wilson, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Gray, Dave Ward, Rob Webber, Dave Attwood, Joe Launchbury, Geoff Parling, Ed Slater, James Haskell, Tom Johnson, Matt Kvesic, Ben Morgan, Chris Robshaw.
Backs: Danny Care, Ben Youngs, Freddie Burns, Danny Cipriani, Kyle Eastmond, Manu Tuilagi, Henry Trinder, Billy Twelvetrees, Mike Brown, Jonny May, Chris Pennell, Marland Yarde.
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