Toulon number eight Steffon Armitage and Clermont full-back Nick Abendanon have been omitted from the 50-man England World Cup training squad by coach Stuart Lancaster.

The Rugby Football Union have maintained their policy of only selecting players who are applying their trade in England, meaning the last two ERC European Players of the Year have been left out.

Chris Ashton and David Strettle have both been included after being marginalised from the international game while rugby league convert Sam Burgess is among five uncapped players in the training group.

Luke Cowan-Dickie, Elliot Daly, Maro Itoje and Stephen Myler after the other tested players to be included in the squad which must be reduced to 31 by 31 August.

Injury victims Alex Corbisiero, Joe Launchbury, Ben Morgan, Ed Slater and David Wilson, who all missed the Six Nations return while Manu Tuilagi is left out as expected after being charged with three counts of assault.

Dave Ewers and Christian Wade could yet be involved after the squad meet up at Pennyhill Park on 22 June but neither player have been included in the initial announcement.

"We are excited to name this extended squad which allows us to look at a wide group of players who have been pushing hard for selection in training with us or playing well for their clubs this season," Lancaster said.

"It's great to be able to include Alex Corbisiero, Joe Launchbury, Ben Morgan, Ed Slater and David Wilson, who missed the Six Nations because of injury and are close to returning to play or have recently begun playing again."

England begin their World Cup campaign against Fiji at Twickenham on 18 September.

England 50-man World Cup training squad

Chris Ashton, Dave Attwood, Brad Barritt, Kieran Brookes, Mike Brown, Luther Burrell, Sam Burgess, Danny Care, Dany Cipriani, Calum Clark, Dan Cole, Alex Corbisiero, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Elliot Daly, Lee Dickson, Kyle Eastmond, Nick Easter, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Alex Goode, Dylan Hartley, James Haskell, Maro Itoje, Jonathan Joseph, Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury, George Kruis, Matt Kvesic, Joe Marler, Jonny May, Stephen Myler, Ben Morgan, Matt Mullan, Jack Nowell, Geoff Parling, Chris Robshaw, Henry Slade, Ed Slater, David Strettle, Billy Twelvetrees, Mako Vunipola, Billy Vunipola, Anthony Watson, Rob Webber, Richard Wigglesworth, David Wilson, Tom Wood, Marland Yarde, Ben Youngs, Tom Youngs.

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