England release five players from preliminary World Cup squad

England have released five players from their preliminary Rugby World Cup squad including Wasps back-row forward Joe Worsley and Saracens winger David Strettle.

Leicester's George Chuter and Thomas Waldrom and Gloucester back James Simpson-Daniel will also miss out on the tournament in New Zealand.

Strettle and Simpson-Daniel had fallen down the pecking order due to the form of Ugo Monye and Charlie Sharples whilst Waldrom had been struggling with a calf injury.

Chuter's departure leaves England with three hookers in Dylan Hartley, Steve Thompson and Lee Mears.

34-year old Worsley, has earned 78-caps and was part of the victorious squad in 2003, would have been playing his fourth World Cup.

Martin Johnson, who has yet to cut any of his seven props or his five second row players, has retained 40 players for the warm-up games against Wales but will have to cut that to a final squad of 30 before flying to New Zealand.