England
Cipriani faces England snub
ESPN Staff
January 5, 2014
Flood's imminent move to Toulouse has seen him drop out of Lancaster's plans © Getty Images
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Toby Flood and Danny Cipriani look likely to miss out on the Six Nations and the summer tour of New Zealand as Stuart Lancaster prepares to omit them from England's Elite Player Squad, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

Leicester's Flood is almost certainly destined for Toulouse at the end of this season, a move which falls foul of Lancaster's hardline stance on not selecting players moving abroad. The Tigers fly-half looks set to pay the ultimate price for his imminent departure and speculation will be rife as to who will replace him for the Six Nations squad set to be announced later this month.

Improved performances for Sale of late had seen Cipriani's name linked with a return to the England fold but the 26-year-old also looks set to miss out on even an England Saxons place due to Lancaster's concerns about his defence and lateral running in attack. His omission leaves the door open for either Bath's George Ford or Northampton Saints' Stephen Myler to join Owen Farrell and Freddie Burns as the third fly-half in the EPS.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that Ford, 20, looks the most likely replacement after a fine season at The Rec and is held in high regard by the England coaching set up. Myler is thought to have improved his own chances during Northampton's 45-23 victory over Ford's side but remains an outside bet to replace Flood.

The only other notable change to the EPS could be the inclusion of the ever-improving Luther Burrell in place of Bath's Kyle Eastmond. Lancaster will announce a squad for the Six Nations on January 17 with England's squad for the season confirmed next week on January 9.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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