There has been much talk in recent months of certain ‘faces that don't fit' in the England set-up; talented match-winners who don't conform to the coaches' template.

Well, two of those faces, according to popular perception, will be at the national team's training camp next week and possibly beyond. Maybe, just maybe, they can prove to the management that they fit the bill after all and are worthy of a role at the World Cup.

Wednesday's announcement of a training squad to prepare for the Six Nations opener against Wales is a diluted version of what was supposed to be unveiled. As recently as 10 days ago, Stuart Lancaster had been intending to name an elite group of 32 or so players for the entire campaign, but a sudden flurry of injuries have forced an abrupt change. 









Sale Sharks fly half Danny Cipriani (centre) looks to take on the Clermont defence at the AJ Bell Stadium 





Cipriani impressed during his brief cameos for England against the All Blacks in the 2014 summer tour 



DANNY'S ON FIRE  

Danny Cipriani is having a fantastic season at Sale — the fly-half is in the Aviva Premiership's top five for total points scored and conversions scored.

POINTS SCORED  

1- G Steenson (Exeter): 172

2- A Goode (Wasps): 144

3 - S Myler (Northampton): 127

4 - G Ford (Bath): 136

5 D - Cipriani (Sale): 112

5 C - Hodgson (Saracens): 112

CONVERSIONS SCORED  

1 - S Myler (Northampton): 29

1 - G Ford (Bath): 29

3 - G Steenson (Exeter): 28

4 - A Goode (Wasps): 26

5 - D Cipriani (Sale): 21


Instead, this will be a short-term selection, a quick fix in difficult circumstances. The coaches have had to hurriedly revise their outlook having lost Ben Morgan and Joe Launchbury for the whole championship, and Manu Tuilagi and Courtney Lawes for at least part of it.

But while the RFU were at pains to clarify that the squad revealed on Wednesday would apply only to the Wales game on February 6, it is laden with significance. It represents the telling moment when Lancaster and Co have embraced pragmatism and buried preconceptions. The proof is provided by the inclusion of two men — Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter.

The latter was presumed to have been consigned to history as a Test player. The Harlequins No 8 was jettisoned by Lancaster when he took over in the aftermath of the calamitous 2011 World Cup campaign overseen by Martin Johnson. 

Easter was indelibly linked to that grim period, having reportedly quipped ‘that's £35,000 down the toilet' when England lost their quarter-final against France in Auckland.

At the age of 36, his return is a stunning development which suggests a willingness among the management to revise their views about certain players. Easter has been in consistently outstanding form for several years and believes he is at the peak of his powers. His tour de force in Quins' victory over Leicester earlier this month led to a swelling call for England to reconsider him. 







Harlequins No 8 Nick Easter (left) chips a grubber kick past Wasps fly half Andy Goode last Satuday 





Easter's last appearance in an England shirt was the 2011 World Cup quarter-final defeat to France  



EASTER IN GOOD NICK  

Nick Easter is in excellent form this season, and though he hasn't played for England since 2011, Stuart Lancaster could use the 36-year-old's experience.

England matches: 47

Points: 25

Tries: 5

Won: 26

Lost: 20

Draw: 1

Win %: 55

Last appearance: October 8, 2011 v France


The opening has been created by the unfortunate loss of Morgan for a minimum of six months with a broken leg. That started a search for specialist No 8 cover for Billy Vunipola and Easter has been preferred to Exeter's Thomas Waldrom, fellow Chief Dave Ewers and others such as Northampton's Sam Dickinson and Newcastle's Mark Wilson.

His selection will disprove the notion that Lancaster is fixed on youth, rather than paying heed to the clear evidence of weekly performances. Easter has clawed his way back into favour through the force of his exploits for Quins and because of his evident desperation to represent his country again.

‘There is massive unfinished business for me as far as England is concerned,' he said last week. ‘My hunger to play for England 1WIN is as strong as ever, probably stronger. I believe I am a much better player than when I was last capped.'

As for Cipriani, his prospects of a recall had appeared less remote, but his selection is significant nonetheless. The 27-year-old fly-half has been regularly superb for Sale but was overlooked for the autumn Tests despite having performed with distinction whenever the opportunity arose in New Zealand last June. 













Bath fly half George Ford (left) is set to start for England against Wales with Owen Farrell on the bench 











England will welcome back a host of players for the Six Nations including Tom Youngs (left) and Mako Vunipola

That trip marked his breakthrough after a long international exile, but his recent struggle for recognition opened up the prospect of a summer move to Toulon. 

Now, however, as he finds himself in the mix to push for a World Cup place, Cipriani is seemingly destined to sign a new deal at Sale. He is likely to play for the Saxons against Ireland Wolfhounds in Cork next Friday before making a big push in training to install himself as third-choice No 10 behind George Ford and Owen Farrell and ahead of Stephen Myler of Northampton.

Elsewhere, the most notable feature of the squad announced on Wednesday will be the return of several players missing from the November campaign — Alex Corbisiero, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola and Geoff Parling. 

Jonathan Joseph's hot streak for Bath means he is retained in the squad with more chance of claiming a midfield berth than he had two months ago, while club-mate Kyle Eastmond will also be a starting contender. Exeter's Jack Nowell is set to return at the expense of Marland Yarde.

The squad is supposedly for one match only, but the home encounter with Italy is only eight days after the Cardiff collision, so those who excel there will have every chance of keeping their places.





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