FRANCIS RETURN TO SAINTS

Piers Francis is set to be available for Saints’ game at Worcester Warriors on Saturday after being released by England.

Francis had been part of a 35-man group to assemble at Pennyhill Park on Sunday evening ahead of this weekend’s clash with Australia at Twickenham.

But the fly-half has been allowed to head back to Franklin’s Gardens for the Aviva Premiership trip to Sixways.

Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes, who both started for England in their 21-8 win against Argentina last weekend, have remained in camp ahead of the Wallabies battle.

The England squad: Backs: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Forwards: Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Nathan Hughes (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Saints), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)

Francis was born in Gravesend, Kent, he played for Old Gravesendians RFC & Maidstone FC growing up, and was then a member of the Saracens Academy for three years during his teens. He moved to New Zealand at the age of 18 and played ITM Cup rugby for both Auckland and Waikato before returning to the UK in 2012 to sign with Edinburgh.

He spent two years with the Edinburgh outfit, but suffered an injury in the pre-season ahead of the 2013-14 campaign which effectively kept him out of action for the whole season. He was released in the summer of 2014 along with other fly-halves Harry Leonard and Gregor Hunter.