London: Anthony Watson returned to the England squad after being named in a 25-strong party for this week’s training camp in central London, the Rugby Football Union announced on Monday.
Bath wing Watson was ruled out of the start of Grand Slam champions England’s Six Nations title defence with a hamstring strain.
But following England’s dramatic 21-16 win over Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, their second victory from as many matches this Six Nations and their 16th in a row against all opponents, Red Rose coach Eddie Jones said Watson, 22, was closing in on a recall.
“It looks like we might have Anthony Watson coming back, which is fantastic,” said Jones, yet to lose a match as England coach, after stand-in wing Elliot Daly’s try four minutes from time sealed a stunning win at a packed Principality Stadium.
“We’re slowly, slowly getting a little bit stronger,” added the Australian.
Watson will hope to do enough in the next two weeks to get a chance to add to an impressive Test record of 12 tries in 24 Tests when England next play Italy at Twickenham on February 26.
Meanwhile, prop Mako Vunipola will look to prove his fitness for Saracens next week, which means Northampton front row Paul Hill has been retained in the squad while Wasps’s Matt Mullen has dropped out.
The training camp runs until Friday.
In Wellington, All Blacks loose forward Steven Luatua will re-unite with his former Super Rugby coach Pat Lam at English Premiership strugglers Bristol for the 2017-18 season, the club said.
The hulking 25-year-old, who plays Super Rugby for the Auckland Blues, won his 15th cap for the All Blacks against Italy in November and his departure comes as a surprise for New Zealand Rugby two years out from the World Cup in Japan.
Bristol, currently bottom of the Premiership with two wins from 14 games, made no mention of the length of his contract but Luatua said in a club statement that he was looking forward to contributing to the club’s “long term vision”.
“I have a fantastic relationship with Pat [Lam] and I enjoyed working with him at the Blues,” he said on Bristol’s website (bristolrugby.co.uk).
“I’ve heard great things about the environment that is being built there and the plans in place, so I can’t wait to get started in the summer.” Luatua has played most of his Test rugby as a blindside flanker but is a capable number eight and can also play in the second row.
