Summary UK rewarded Calum Clark for his impressive return to action after an eight-month ban.
LONDON: Clark, who served his suspension from March to November last year for breaking an opponent s arm in the English Premiership, was one of two uncapped players summoned by England coach Stuart Lancaster on Wednesday, along with center Billy Twelvetrees.
Winger David Strettle and flanker James Haskell were recalled to the revised 33-man squad, while forwards Joe Launchbury, Tom Youngs and Mako Vunipola and flyhalf Freddie Burns have all been promoted to the senior group from the second-string Saxons after playing well in the autumn tests.
England s first game in the Six Nations is against Scotland on Feb. 2 as the team looks to build on its second-place finish in the 2012 competition and its stunning 38-21 win over New Zealand on Dec. 1.
"This is a very important year for England, with the Six Nations and the Saxons games to look forward to so there are some great opportunities for the players to demonstrate their club form at international level," Lancaster said.
"The summer tour to Argentina will also be a great chance for those players pushing for a place, especially with some of our senior squad hopefully going with the Lions (on tour to Australia)."
The 23-year-old Clark, who plays as a flanker, No. 8 or in the second row for Northampton, trained with England during last year s Six Nations but his international aspirations were put on hold after being found guilty of hyperextending the elbow of Leicester s Rob Hawkins.
The ugly incident tarred his reputation despite his remorse
and cost him a chance of touring South Africa last summer but he has been given a shot at redemption by Lancaster, who knows Clark well from their time together at Leeds.
Clark will likely be the understudy to captain and flanker Chris Robshaw but his versatility makes him a good option for the bench.
Of the eight changes in all, Twelvetrees is arguably the most interesting as his form for Gloucester has been mixed.
However, he has undoubted potential and offers a different kind of option to the hard-running style of fellow centers Brad Barritt and Manu Tuilagi.
