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London - England exiles Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter were both included in a 25-man squad announced Tuesday by coach Stuart Lancaster for Friday's Six Nations opener against Wales in Cardiff.
Talented fly-half Cipriani featured in two of England's three Tests in New Zealand in June, ending a six-year international exile, but the 27-year-old was omitted from the team's November campaign.
Meanwhile Harlequins No 8 Easter has not played for England since Lancaster took charge following the side's s 2011 World Cup exit, with the 36-year-old reportedly making the infamous comment "that's 35 000 down the toilet" after the quarter-final loss to France.
But with Lancaster's squad beset by a raft of injuries that have seen fly-half Owen Farrell and back-row Ben Morgan ruled out of the entire Six Nations, both Cipriani and Easter have a chance to revive their international career in a year when England will stage the World Cup.
Lancaster is due to announce his matchday 23 for the Millennium Stadium clash on Wednesday.
England 25-man squad to play Wales:
Backs (11)
Mike Brown (Harlequins), Luther Burrell (Northampton), Danny Cipriani (Sale), George Ford (Bath), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Jonny May (Gloucester), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Anthony Watson (Bath), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester)
Forwards (14)
Dave Attwood (Bath), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle), Dan Cole (Leicester), Tom Croft (Leicester), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), George Kruis (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Henry Thomas (Bath), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Tom Youngs (Leicester)
