Brown chases World Cup place

Harlequins full-back Mike Brown has a further chance to stake a claim for the Rugby World Cup after being one of five players added to a 40man training squad that gathers in Bristol for a camp this week.

As Brown arrives so Danny Cipriani joins the Bath duo, full-back Anthony Watson and flanker Sam Underhill, for a stint off site doing specialised strength and conditioning work. Eddie Jones insists that he still has an “open door” policy on selection for the 31-man squad that will be named on Aug 12 for the tournament in Japan that begins on Sept 20.

Brown will be fully aware, though, that he is outside the original 38-man group named only 10 days ago but this call-up – along with Harlequins team-mates, flanker Alex Dombrandt and fly-half Marcus Smith, as well as Bath hooker Tom Dunn and Gloucester wing Ollie Thorley – represents an opportunity to show what they have to offer were there to be any injuries. The last of Brown’s 72 appearances for England came on the tour to South Africa last year.

“Our preparation is about making sure the players peak for the World Cup,” said Jones. “It’s not about being ready now for it. Some players will benefit from being away from the camp for a little bit and will do specialised strength and conditioning work. We want to keep the squad fresh and alive, which is important, and we want to make sure there is a little bit of cooperative competition for selection as well as edge.

“We are in Bristol for a change of scenery and pace. The ante goes up again. The players who have come in from the Premiership final will increase their contribution and the other guys are starting to get near good physical condition.”