Eight Saints players in England squad ahead of Italy encounter
Eight Saints players have been named in the England squad that will prepare to face Italy in Rome on Saturday (kick-off 4.40pm GMT).
Alex Coles, Trevor Davison, Manny Iyogun, Henry Pollock, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, Fin Smith and George Furbank are part of the 36-player group that assembled at the England Rugby Performance Centre at Pennyhill Park on Sunday evening.
Alex Mitchell would have been involved but he has been ruled out of the remainder of the Guinness Six Nations due to a hamstring injury.
Furbank and Iyogun were in action for Saints last weekend, helping their club to claim a thrilling 35-33 PREM Rugby Cup victory at home to Saracens.
Furbank played 64 minutes and scored a try in a successful return, while Iyogun came off the bench to help Saints come back from 33-21 down with six minutes remaining.
England started their Six Nations campaign with a comfortable home win against Wales but have since been beaten by Scotland and Ireland.
They face two further fixtures in this year's tournament, with the trip to Italy followed by a game in France on the following Saturday.
England squad ahead of Italy clash…
Forwards: Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby), Alex Coles (Saints), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Trevor Davison (Saints), Ben Earl (Saracens), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Emmanuel Iyogun (Saints), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), George Kloska (Bristol Bears), Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby), Henry Pollock (Saints), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby).
Backs: Henry Arundell (Bath Rugby), Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Fraser Dingwall (Saints), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Tommy Freeman (Saints), George Furbank (Saints), Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Fin Smith (Saints), Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers).
Rehabilitation: Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby)