Rugby - England's Cokanasiga in with a chance to face France

LONDON (Reuters) - Giant Bath winger Joe Cokanasiga, props Dan Cole and Ben Moon and flanker Brad Shields have been included in a provisional 25-man squad for England's Six Nations game against France at Twickenham on Sunday.

Rugby - England's Cokanasiga in with a chance to face France

(Reuters)





Following the hugely impressive 32-20 victory over defending champions Ireland in Dublin, coach Eddie Jones named his tweaked squad on Wednesday, which he will trim to the matchday 23 on Friday.

Cokanasiga, 21, who won his two caps in November, was ruled out of the Dublin game with a knee injury but is back in contention for a wing slot alongside Jack Nowell and Jonny May, both excellent against Ireland, and Chris Ashton.

The vastly experienced but penalty-prone Cole, who last played for England in last year's Six Nations, replaces Harry Williams, while Moon, who made his debut in November, is in for Ellis Genge.

Flanker Shields has also recovered from injury but is unlikely to force himself into the starting lineup after England's back row performed so well on Saturday.

With Maro Itoje ruled out for the next three games with a knee ligament injury, Joe Launchbury is expected to start alongside George Kruis in the second row.

Uncapped scrumhalf Dan Robson, an inexplicably unused replacement in Dublin, is also included and is expected to again provide backup to Ben Youngs.

Yet there was no place for Ben Te'o, who missed the Ireland game through injury and saw Manu Tuilagi step in to deliver an impressive display at inside centre.

France lost their opening game 24-19 at home to Wales last Friday after leading 16-0 at halftime.

They have not won a Six Nations game at Twickenham since 2005 and will be desperate to show they are competitive against an England team they will face in the pool stage of this year's Rugby World Cup.





England provisional squad:

ForwardsDan Cole (Leicester Tigers)Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)Jamie George (Saracens)Nathan Hughes (Wasps)George Kruis (Saracens)Joe Launchbury (Wasps)Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs)Brad Shields (Wasps)Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)Billy Vunipola (Saracens)Mako Vunipola (Saracens)Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons) BacksChris Ashton (Sale Sharks)Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby)Elliot Daly (Wasps)Owen Farrell (Saracens) captainGeorge Ford (Leicester Tigers)Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)Dan Robson (Wasps) *Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers) *uncapped





(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Toby Davis)


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Rugby - England's Cokanasiga in with a chance to face France | SBS News