Duo miss out on World Cup places

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Both players miss out on England's Webb Ellis Trophy defence in France next month, while Nick Abendanon, Danny Cipriani, Toby Flood, Kevin Yates, Tom Palmer and James Haskell have also failed to make it.

Ashton said: "I have had to make some very difficult decisions in reducing the World Cup training squad to 30. I spoke to each of the players on Sunday who would not be involved, and they were all obviously very disappointed not to be included."

Gloucester centre Tindall, a 2003 World Cup winner, has been battling to recover from a broken leg suffered last April, while Sale Sharks fly-half Hodgson last played almost nine months ago due to a serious knee injury.

Ashton added: "It was agreed by the coaches that Mike Tindall and Charlie Hodgson, who is fit but like Mike has not played top level rugby for a number of months, could not use the final warm-up Test (against France next Saturday) or the World Cup pool games as part of their rehab.

"But I stressed to each of them that they could be invited back if a member of the squad suffers an injury either before, or during the World Cup."

Ashton's group is largely as expected, with Perpignan prop Perry Freshwater shading Yates for a front-row berth in a squad that will be captained by Wasps tighthead Phil Vickery.

Centre Mike Catt, 36 next month, will equal Jason Leonard's England record of featuring in four World Cup tournaments, while 35-year-old Wasps back-row star Lawrence Dallaglio has also been selected.

There are 12 survivors from England's original 2003 World Cup squad, plus Wasps lock Simon Shaw, who travelled to Australia four years ago as a replacement but did not play.