England drop five from wider World Cup squad including Nick Easter

England coach Stuart Lancaster has dropped five players from his initial 50-man pre-tournament World Cup squad, the Rugby Football Union announced Friday.

The remaining 45 players will now head off to a high-altitude training camp in Denver, Colorado as they battle to make the final 31-man squad which Lancaster, like all World Cup coaches, must name by August 31.

Veteran back-row forward Nick Easter has been omitted, as have rising stars Maro Itoje and Elliot Daly, although there is a possibility Easter could be recalled.

Lock Ed Slater and fly-half Stephen Myler have also been dropped.

Easter will remain with club side Harlequins for treatment on a back problem while the quartet of Itoje, Daly, Slater and Myler will now be on standby for tournament hosts England’s squad.

“The players have worked very hard for the past three weeks and there is a really good feel about the group,” said Lancaster.