By Mitch Phillips
LONDON (Reuters) - Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter were the eye-catching inclusions in Stuart Lancaster's training squad for the opening game of the Six Nations against Wales in Cardiff on Feb. 6, both given the chance to force their way into World Cup reckoning.
Mercurial Sale number 10 Cipriani last featured in a Six Nations match seven years ago and is included as one of four flyhalves, while Harlequins number eight Easter is involved under Lancaster for the first time, having won the last of his 47 caps in the 2011 World Cup quarter-final defeat by France.
Props Alex Corbisero, Mako Vunipola and Dan Cole, lock Geoff Parling and hooker Tom Youngs, all British and Irish Lions players who missed the November internationals through injury, also return as England bid to win the title for only the second time since 2003.
Exeter wing Jack Nowell, who blasted onto the scene as a 20-year-old in last season's Six Nations, is also back after an injury-ravaged year.
Lancaster also named his squad for the second-string Saxons team to play the Irish Wolfhounds, with the notable inclusion of former rugby league international Sam Burgess, who is feeling his way into union at Bath this season but seen by many as an eventual certain starter for the senior team.
"It's great to welcome back some of those players unavailable in the autumn," Lancaster said on Wednesday, confirming that Chris Robshaw would captain the team throughout the Six Nations.
"They offer us a lot of quality and experience. So too Nick Easter, who has played well for Harlequins.
The 36-year-old Easter's return is aided by an injury that has ruled Ben Morgan out of the whole tournament but his great club form would have made it difficult for Lancaster not to call him up for the first time.
Cipriani did make two appearances off the bench on the tour of New Zealand last June but has not featured in a Six Nations game since a man of the match performance against Ireland under Brian Ashton seven years ago.
He still faces a stiff battle to force his way past Stephen Myler, George Ford and Owen Farrell but will be delighted to be given the chance after a string of off-field indiscretions has limited him to nine caps since his debut in 2008
Lancaster stressed that the squad was selected only for the opening Friday night game in the Millennium Stadium and that other currently injured players, including centre Manu Tuilagi and lock Courtney Lawes, could be added for the later matches.
England squad for Wales game in Cardiff on Feb. 6:
Forwards - Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby), Calum Clark (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Alex Corbisiero (Northampton Saints), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Wasps), Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), David Wilson (Bath Rugby), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Backs - Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Danny Care (Harlequins), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Alex Goode (Saracens), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)