Rugby World Cup 2019: Eddie Jones' England 31-man squad announcement for Japan

England remain 5-1 co-second favourites with South Africa for the rugby World Cup this autumn after head coach Eddie Jones announced his 31-man squad for the tournament in Japan on Monday lunchtime.

Piers Francis, Lewis Ludlam, Ruaridh McConnochie and Jack Singleton are the shock names in the Red Rose ranks.

Wing McConnochie is yet to play a Test, while Ludlam and Singleton made their debuts on Sunday against Wales in a game where Francis earned his fifth cap.

There was no last-minute reprieve for already-jettisoned senior players such as Dylan Hartley, Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown, Danny Care, Danny Cipriani and Nathan Hughes.

Jones has named only two tighthead props with Kyle Sinckler and Dan Cole getting the nod, while Ben Youngs and Willi Heinz are the two travelling scrum-halves. However, with wing Jack Nowell fighting to be fit, it would be no surprise to see a call-up for Exeter number three Harry Williams or Saracens nine Ben Spencer.

Charlie Ewels and Brad Shields, currently battling a calf injury, have lost out to Northampton's Ludlam in the battle for the last back-five forward spot.

Fellow-Saint Francis is preferred to Ben Te'o in the midfield ranks.

Te'o, who started the first 2017 British & Irish Lions Test at inside centre, had been a fast-tracked favourite of Jones but, as well as his alleged brawl with Brown, he has suffered a series of injuries.

Francis offers more creative skills while fellow 2017 Lions Jonathan Joseph and Manu Tuilagi looked in fine fettle against Wales after their own long-term fitness battles.

New Saracens signing Singleton is the third hooker selected after Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie.

Former Sevens star McConnachie would have debuted on Saturday after a breakout rookie campaign for Bath that contained four Premiership tries but for a minor hip injury sustained in training. Bet365 go 66-1 that he is the tournament's top tryscorer.

England are 2-5 shots to win Pool C which also contains France, Argentina and Tonga. They are 10-1 to make a group-stage exit like four years ago.

Wales, 9-1 shots for the Webb Ellis Cup, have suffered a blow with confirmation that fly-half Gareth Anscombe has been ruled out of the tournament with the knee injury sustained at Twickenham on Sunday.

Defending champions New Zealand are the 6-4 favourites.

England World Cup squad - forwards: D Cole, L Cowan-Dickie, T Curry, E Genge, J George, M Itoje, G Kruis, J Launchbury, C Lawes, L Ludlam, J Marler, K Sinckler, J Singleton, S Underhill, B Vunipola, M Vunipola, M Wilson; backs: J Cokanasiga, E Daly, O Farrell, G Ford, P Francis, W Heinz, J Joseph, J May, R McConnochie, J Nowell, H Slade, M Tuilagi, A Watson, B Youngs.

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