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England pick for BaaBaas

London - England have picked 13 uncapped players in a 24-man squad for Saturday's match against the Barbarians at Twickenham, which gives fringe players one of their last chances to earn a place at the Rugby World Cup.

With 20-year-old props Joe Marler and Kieran Brookes called up for the match, which does not carry Test status, the average age of the squad is just 24 years and two months.

Harlequins' Marler and Brookes of Newcastle are joined by Exeter flank Tom Johnson and Gloucester centre Henry Trinder.

Much of the international experience is provided by back Matt Banahan, flyhalf Charlie Hodgson and wing Ugo Monye, with Paul Hodgson, Paul Doran-Jones, Dave Attwood and Luke Narraway among those to have previously played without winning a regular spot.

"It's a great opportunity for all the players who are looking to force their way into Martin Johnson's plans for the World Cup," second-string coach Stuart Lancaster said.

"We face a very big challenge against the Barbarians, who have a very experienced squad in terms of their average age and number of caps.

"But there's a great deal of quality in the England system at the moment and a lot of these young players will get a chance to benchmark themselves against the best."

The Barbarians' 25-man squad for Sunday's match against England and the June 4 meeting with Wales includes Doug Howlett, Mathieu Bastareaud and World Cup winner Ruan Pienaar.

England squad:


Forwards:
Dave Attwood, Kieran Brookes, Calum Clark, Paul Doran-Jones, Carl Fearns, James Gaskell, Joe Gray, Tom Johnson, Graham Kitchener, Joe Marler, Matthew Mullan, Luke Narraway, David Paice

Backs:
Matt Banahan, Mike Brown, Rory Clegg, Lee Dickson, Paul Hodgson, Charlie Hodgson, Ugo Monye, Stephen Myler, James Simpson-Daniel, Henry Trinder, Jordan Turner-Hall
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