England Head Coach, Stuart Lancaster, today announced the training squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Notable inclusions in the 50-man group are Old Whitgiftians Elliot Daly (London Wasps), Marland Yarde (Harlequins) and Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks).
Daly, a new inclusion into the squad, is known for his superb pace and long-range goal-kicking. He played alongside Yarde at Whitgift, and the two helped the School win the 2010 ERSFU Daily Mail/RBS U18 National Schools’ Rugby Cup, with Daly achieving a consecutive 2011 victory.
Yarde and Cipriani have been on Lancaster’s books for longer, both having represented England against the All Blacks on the New Zealand rugby tour last year. Cipriani also had a recall to England’s squad for the 2015 RBS 6 Nations, where he came off the bench against Italy and scored a try on his return to Twickenham.
Lancaster mentioned that a number of the 50-man squad, such as Daly, Cipriani and Yarde, will be involved in the England XV side playing the Barbarians on Sunday 31 May, following the Premiership semi-finals. The squad will be announced on Sunday 24 May, once the Premiership finalists are known, and will start training in June. The tournament starts against Fiji, at Twickenham, on Friday 18 September.
Whitgift’s Director of Rugby, Mr Chris Wilkins, who is a former London Wasps player himself and has previously been awarded RFU ‘Performance Development Coach of the Year’, commented, “It is a rare achievement for any one school to have three former students to be named in the England squad, and a great source of pride. Although Danny left before I started at Whitgift, having coached Marland and Elliot, it is brilliant to see them continue to develop. All three are very exciting, creative players and everyone at Whitgift wishes them all the best.”