Flood left out of England’s Six Nations squad as Ford gets call
England head coach Stuart Lancaster has left Toby Flood out of his Six Nations squad, with George Ford drafted in as his replacement.
Flood's omission comes after he agreed a switch to French Top 14 giants Toulouse, with Lancaster standing by his policy of not selecting overseas-based players.
Uncapped 20-year-old fly-half Ford duly comes in for the man he understudied at Leicester for four years before moving to Bath in the summer.
Ford is the sole change to the Elite Player squad, but is joined by eight other Saxons in being promoted to the Six Nations training squad, which will link up at Pennyhill Park on January 20.
Lancaster said: “I am delighted for George (Ford) who is rewarded for his form for Bath and we are excited about including him in the Senior Elite Player Squad.
“We have kept changes to a minimum because we believe that this squad can take us forward into 2015 and we are hopeful that some of those injured may be available before the end of the Six Nations and certainly for the New Zealand tour.
“I have met Toby Flood several times and told him I really wanted him to stay at Leicester and play for England. He has made a lifestyle choice and we respect that but given the RFU’s policy of not selecting players based overseas save for exceptional circumstances it was important that we allow others such as George Ford to progress."
England's Six Nations squad:
Forwards: David Attwood (Bath Rugby), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby), Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs), Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby), Matt Mullan (London Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers), Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Backs: Chris Ashton (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Alex Goode (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath Rugby), Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints), Danny Care (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).