England head coach Stuart Lancaster has chosen to keep the players in his starting line up for last weekend’s Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland in camp this week rather than releasing them.
While Lancaster has retained his starting side he has released the replacements back to their Premiership clubs.
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Lancaster’s side got their Six Nations title bid back on track with a dominant 20-0 win over Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday – the first time they’d ‘nilled’ their oldest rivals since 1978.
That left England with a tournament record of played two, won one and lost one after their agonising 26-24 loss to France in Paris.
Table-toppers Ireland are next on the agenda when England, in their first home match of this season’s edition, resume their Six Nations campaign at Twickenham on February 22.
Unsurprisingly, England coach Lancaster kept the starting side that performed so admirably in a Murrayfield bog away from Premiership duty and in for two days’ training on Wednesday and Thursday.
But 18 players, including the eight strong bench – Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola, Henry Thomas, Dave Attwood, Ben Morgan, Lee Dickson, Brad Barritt and Alex Goode – in Edinburgh will be available for club fixtures.
Saracens’ visit to Sale on Friday launches the latest round of Premiership fixtures, with Exeter up against south-west rivals Bath on Saturday and champions Leicester at home to Gloucester on Sunday
“We have reviewed the Scotland game with the whole squad and, while pleasing in many aspects, we have identified the areas we need to work on,” Lancaster said Tuesday.
“There are some inevitable knocks from the weekend, but nothing that we anticipate will keep players out of contention for the Ireland game.
“The replacements will return to their Premiership clubs and be available to play this weekend, which will give them valuable game time.”
England are currently third in the table, behind Ireland and France -the only two teams in this Six Nations still in with a chance of completing a Grand Slam.
Players returning to Aviva Premiership clubs
Chris Ashton (Saracens)
David Attwood (Bath Rugby)
Brad Barritt (Saracens)
Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby)
Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Matt Mullan (London Wasps)
Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Players retained at St George’s Park
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
Joe Launchbury (London Wasps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)