SENIOR INTERNATIONALS JACK van Poortvliet, Curtis Langdon, Tom Pearson, and Ollie Hassell-Collins have been included in the England A squad to face Ireland A in Bristol on Sunday 23 February.

The 25-man English group, which will be head coached by Bath’s Lee Blackett, may yet be bolstered by additional players from England’s Six Nations squad.

Ireland A are due to announce their squad this weekend, with Munster’s Mike Prendergast joined by Mark Sexton and Seán O’Brien in the Irish coaching team.

The confirmed England A group includes 16-times capped Leicester scrum-half van Poortvliet, once-capped Northampton flanker Pearson, and twice-capped Saints hooker Langdon and Leicester wing Hassell-Collins.

Bristol prop George Kloska, who is currently qualified to play for Ireland, has also been included in the English squad and an appearance for the England A team would tie his eligibility to the English.

There is plenty of other exciting talent for Blackett to work with, including Bath number eight Alfie Barbeary, Exeter back row Greg Fisilau, and Northampton flyer George Hendy.

England A squad: 

Forwards:

Alfie Barbeary (Bath)
Phil Brantingham (Saracens)
Richard Capstick (Exeter)
Greg Fisilau (Exeter)
Luke Green (Northampton)
Tarek Haffar (Northampton)
Jack Kenningham (Harlequins)
George Kloska (Bristol)
Curtis Langdon (Northampton)
Tom Lockett (Northampton)
Gabriel Oghre (Bristol)
Tom Pearson (Northampton)
Hugh Tizard (Saracens)

Backs:

Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester)
Orlando Bailey (Bath)
Will Butt (Bath)
Joe Carpenter (Sale)
Tobias Elliott (Saracens)
Ollie Hassell-Collins (Leicester)
George Hendy (Northampton)
Josh Hodge (Exeter)
Max Ojomoh (Bath)
Will Porter (Harlequins)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester)
Joseph Woodward (Leicester)