DANNY CIPRIANI’S ENGLAND exile continued on Thursday as he was left out of Eddie Jones’s squad for the November internationals at Twickenham.
The fly-half has been in fine form for Gloucester this season but that was not enough to persuade Jones to include him in a 36-man squad for next month’s home Tests against South Africa, New Zealand, 2019 World Cup hosts Japan and Australia.
Ciprini was fined a total of £4,000 following an incident outside a nightclub during Gloucester’s pre-season tour of Jersey in August.
The 30-year-old avoided a ban despite being found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the game after England rugby chiefs decided not to impose any further sanctions over the incident.
Despite being England’s starting fly-half in their most recent game against South Africa in June and producing an excellent opening to the season at his new club, Jones left him out of an initial training squad and the Australian stuck with his decision on Thursday.
Instead fly-half Owen Farrell was named as a co-captain, along with hooker Dylan Hartley.
Sale wing Chris Ashton was recalled and No 8 Ben Morgan returned after a six-week ban given to Nathan Hughes early Thursday deprived Jones of another back-row forward with the likes of Billy Vunipola, Sam Simmonds and Chris Robshaw all injured.
England squad
Backs (16): Chris Ashton (Sale), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Joe Cokanasiga (Bath), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Nathan Earle (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens, co-captain), George Ford (Leicester), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Jonny May (Leicester), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ben Te’o (Worcester), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester)
Forwards (20): Tom Curry (Sale), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton, co-captain), Alec Hepburn (Exeter), Ted Hill (Worcester), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Zach Mercer (Bath), Ben Moon (Exeter), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Michael Rhodes (Saracens), Nick Schonert (Worcester), Brad Shields (Wasps), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Elliott Stooke (Bath), Sam Underhill (Bath) Harry Williams (Exeter), Mark Wilson (Newcastle)