Burgess and Itoje in England World Cup training squad

Sam Burgess and Maro Itoje have today been named in Stuart Lancaster's England World Cup training squad.
Rugby League superstar Burgess only joined Bath last autumn but was quickly tipped to take part in the World Cup despite having never played rugby union before.
His debut came in the midfield but he has been playing in the forwards in recent weeks and has been a lot more influential from blindside. His physical attributes could see him return to the midfield however following Manu Tuilagi eviction from the squad last week.
Itoje captained England U20s to World Cup glory in New Zealand last summer and has enjoyed a breakthrough season with Saracens.
Notable absentees include Wasps flyer Christian Wade and Exeter back rower Dave Ewers although Lancaster admitted that both could be recalled before the World Cup starts.
The 50-man group will meet up at Pennyhill Park on Monday, June 22 to begin preparing for the tournament which starts against Fiji at Twickenham on Friday, September 18.
England will also face France home and away and Ireland at Twickenham as part of the QBE Internationals as they build towards RWC 2015.
The England squad to play the Barbarians will be announced at 5pm on Sunday once the Premiership finalists are known as a number of players from the losing semi-finalists could be involved.
Players from Gloucester would also not be considered should they reach the European Champions Cup qualification final.
This training squad is set to be reduced prior to the training camp in Denver and subsequently reduced again as the QBE Internationals approach with the final 31 players for the World Cup being announced by the August 31 deadline.

England Head Coach Lancaster said: “We are excited to name this extended squad which allows us to look at a wide group of players who have been pushing hard for selection in training with us or playing well for their clubs this season.
“It's great to be able to include Alex Corbisiero, Joe Launchbury, Ben Morgan, Ed Slater and David Wilson, who missed the Six Nations because of injury and are close to returning to play or have recently begun playing again.
“There are a lot of experienced internationals within the squad with the likes of Chris Ashton and David Strettle, who are in great form, returning and it's also good to have young players like Luke Cowan-Dickie, Elliot Daly, Maro Itoje and Henry Slade in there who have come through our player development pathway and had great seasons for their clubs.
“Ben Foden, Joe Simpson and Tom Croft have not been included at this stage due to ongoing rehabilitation from injury but will hopefully come into consideration nearer the tournament.
“A number of this 50-man squad, such as Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly, Danny Cipriani and Marland Yarde will be involved in the England XV side playing the Barbarians on May 31 following the Premiership semi-finals. There will also be opportunities for the likes of Dave Ewers and Christian Wade who just missed out on the initial selection but could come back in further down the line.”
England World Cup training squad: Chris Ashton (Saracens), Dave Attwood (Bath), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Luther Burrell (Northampton), Sam Burgess (Bath), Danny Care (Harlequins), Danny Cipriani (Sale), Calum Clark (Northampton), Dan Cole (Leicester), Alex Corbisiero (Northampton), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Lee Dickson (Northampton), Kyle Eastmond (Bath), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Alex Goode (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), George Kruis (Saracens), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Jonny May (Gloucester), Stephen Myler (Northampton), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Geoff Parling (Leicester), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ed Slater (Leicester), David Strettle (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Anthony Watson (Bath), Rob Webber (Bath), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), David Wilson (Bath), Tom Wood (Northampton), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester), Tom Youngs (Leicester).
*Video credit: Nick Heath @rugbymedia