Balshaw named in Cup squad

World Cup winner Iain Balshaw is among eight capped players named in the England Saxons squad for this season's Barclays Churchill Cup.

Gloucester star Balshaw, who missed out on the senior England tour to South Africa, will be joined by fellow internationals Shane Geraghty, Olly Barkley, Paul Sackey, Dan Scarbrough, Tom Voyce, Michael Lipman and James Haskell.

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Coach Jim Mallinder's 38-man group includes 10 players from Leicester, Wasps and Bath, who are all involved in European finals later this month.

They will not be available for the Saxons' opening game against the USA in Stockport on May 18. England then face Scotland A at Twickenham 10 days later, followed by the June 2 finals day, also at Twickenham.

The squad includes some of English rugby's brightest young talent, featuring Bath full-back Nick Abendanon, Gloucester fly-half Ryan Lamb and Newcastle flanker Ben Woods.

Mallinder said: "The England Saxons squad is very important to the success of England Rugby, especially this year with the World Cup only four months away.

"I am pleased to see a lot of players making the step up from age group rugby - it is proof that the academy system is working.

"The Barclays Churchill Cup gives all of us an opportunity to see those players who we need more information on before the World Cup squad is picked.

"That said, it is important we get the balance of experience and youth right to give the players the best possible chance to succeed.

"This is a very competitive tournament, and quite a few of the players have first-hand experience of just how tough it is going to be.

"But the fact that we will face some strong international opposition teams makes it a great development tool for the players. It is in situations like this that you learn which players are ready to take the next step."

New Zealand Maori, Ireland A and Canada complete the six-team tournament, which is being staged in England for the first time.

England Saxons squad for Barclays Churchill Cup from May 18-June 2:

Backs: N Abendanon (Bath), D Armitage (London Irish), O Barkley (Bath), I Balshaw (Gloucester), D Cipriani (Wasps), L Dickson (Newcastle), P Diggin (Northampton), A Erinle (Wasps), S Geraghty (London Irish), A Jarvis (Harlequins), R Lamb (Gloucester), N Mordt (London Irish), T Ojo (London Irish), P Sackey (Wasps), D Scarbrough (Saracens), K Sorrell (Saracens), T Voyce (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks)

Forwards: R Blaze (Worcester), C Brooker (Bath), J Brooks (Northampton), J Crane (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), P Dowson (Newcastle), J Evans (Harlequins), J Forster (Gloucester), J Haskell (Wasps), N Hatley (London Irish), N Kennedy (London Irish), M Lipman (Bath), T Mercey (Saracens), D Paice (London Irish), K Roche (London Irish), D Seymour (Saracens), W Skinner (Harlequins), B Skirving (Saracens), M Thompson (Newcastle), B Woods (Newcastle)