Itoje out of latest England training squad

England captain Maro Itoje was left out of the latest Red Rose training squad announced on Tuesday, creating fresh uncertainty over his involvement in next month’s start of the inaugural Nations Championship.

England coach Steve Borthwick revealed in May that he was mulling over resting his skipper for all, or part, of the July tour that features fixtures against world champions South Africa, Fiji and Argentina and will see England travel 25,000 miles (40,000 kilometres).

Itoje, who has completed more Test minutes than any other player in the game since his debut in 2016, led the British and Irish Lions to a 2-1 series triumph against Australia last year.

But he could be stood down amid “ongoing conversations” with Borthwick — himself a former England captain.

Back-five forward Itoje was missing from the 26-man squad selected for a three-day England training camp, although his Saracens team-mates Ben Earl, Theo Dan, Jamie George, Nick Isiekwe, Hugh Tizard, Noah Caluori and Tobias Elliott were selected.

Saracens’ season ended with their Prem defeat at Exeter on Saturday, so their contingent in the training squad will have a chance to feature in the non-cap international against a France XV in Vannes on June 19.

There are no players from Prem semi-finalists Bath, Northampton, Leicester and Exeter — all in action this weekend — in the squad.