5 players you definitely forgot earned England call-ups – but never won a cap

Gloucester legend Wood spent his entire career at Kingsholm in a career that spanned 15 years between 20031 and 2016.

Wood represented England at under-21 level and Saxons level and was called into the full England squad party to tour South Africa in 2008 but despite being named to start had to pull out due to illness.

He was also named in England’s squad for matches against the Barbarians and Argentina in 2009 but did not play. He was ultimately never capped for the senior team.2

Versatile forward Dave Ward joined Harlequins in 2012 from Cornish Pirates, a side he made more than 100 appearances for. It was during the 2013/14 season that Ward rose to fame with his electric form. Claiming five Man of the Match awards and becoming the pioneer of countless turnovers, he was the 2013/14 Players’ Player of the season.

His efforts were rewarded by being named in Stuart Lancaster’s England squad for the 2014 tour of New Zealand, but he only played in the midweek win over the Crusaders.

After starting his career with West Hartlepool he subsequently played for the Newcastle Falcons when they won the 1997–98 Premiership.

Barnes then joined Harlequin F.C, where he understudied Jason Leonard, before moving to Bath Rugby in 2000. Before retiring from the sport, due to injury, in 2011, he had played 266 first team games for Bath Rugby and a career total of over 200 Premiership games.

In 2006, Barnes featured in an England XV side against the Barbarians before he then captained England Saxons at the 2006 Churchill Cup. He was also called up to Martin Johnson’s squad for the 2009 Autumn Internationals but withdrew from the squad due to an injury inflicted upon him by teammate Duncan Bell.

A successful 2012/2013 campaign with Leicester culminated in a Premiership winners medal for Slater where he was also rewarded for some fine form with a call-up to the senior England Squad. Unfortunately, an injury sustained in the Aviva Premiership final ruled him out of the tour shortly after being selected.

He did, however, return the following season, captaining Leicester Tigers for the last 10 games of the season and in the process, earning a call-up to the England squad for both the 2014 Six Nations and the summer tour to New Zealand.

He captained England against the Canterbury Crusaders. This was Slater's first appearance for the senior England side but it was a non-cap match.

He next made Stuart Lancaster's World Cup 51 man training squad. After making his way in to Eddie Jones' plans at the beginning of 2016 though, he was injured again and as yet has not made the extended squad since.

Harrison was selected for the England squad to face the Barbarians in the summer of 2014 and toured South Africa with England Saxons in the summer of 2016.

In May 2017 the prop was invited to a training camp with the senior England squad by Eddie Jones.