Gutsy Haskell is set for Six Nations duty

JAMES HASKELL is back in the England mix after being named in Eddie Jones’ squad for a two-day get-together in Brighton.

England chief Jones has called up 33 players to meet on the south coast tonight for a short training camp – and they will form the guts of his Six Nations squad.

Flanker Haskell (above), who missed the autumn internationals with a toe injury, is poised to make his comeback for Wasps next weekend after performing heroics in Australia over the summer.

Manu Tuilagi is another one on the international comeback trail – the Leicester centre has not started a Test since 2014 because of a succession of groin injuries, but will be in Brighton.

However, Wasps’ second row Joe Launchbury misses out with a calf injury.

Jones also named a 45-man elite player squad with Alex Goode being the most startling omission.

The Saracens full-back was Premiership player of the year last season and started against Fiji in the autumn but is left out.

Bath loose-head prop Nathan Catt makes the cut – as cover for crocked Mako Vunipola – with Wasps’ Matt Mullan and Harlequins’ Joe Marler also contesting for a No.1 berth. The last time England had a camp in Brighton it ended up with Sam Jones, the Wasps flanker, breaking his leg doing judo and Jack Nowell and Anthony Watson copping injuries.

This one is set to be a bit less strenuous and will be used to sort out admin and have a look at the opening Six Nations fixture against France on February 4.

Jones said: “This camp in Brighton allows us to do some of the organisational work we need to do for the Six Nations.

“We have France first, who are one of the most improved sides in Europe.

“We’ve got to make sure we get an understanding of how to beat them.”