England have unveiled their 31-man Rugby World Cup squad with Sam Burgess edging out Luther Burrell to make the final cut.

Heading into Thursday's squad announcement, the two remaining decisions seemed to be whether they would take Burrell or Burgess in the centres with the other a head-to-head between Ben Morgan and Nick Easter for the final back-row spot. In the end Stuart Lancaster has opted for Morgan despite the No.8 having played just 40 minutes since he broke his leg in January.

There are three one-cap players in the squad with Burgess joined by Jamie George, who made his debut against France last weekend, and Henry Slade, who won his first Test cap the week prior on August 15.

Burgess has only played one Test in the centres for England but Lancaster has rolled the dice on that selection and opted for the cross-code star instead of Burrell, who has 13 caps to his name.

Danny Cipriani fails to make the final squad, as reported on Wednesday, while Calum Clark, Dave Attwood, Billy Twelvetrees, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Alex Corbisiero and Dave Attwood also drop out alongside Easter.

The final squad sees a 17-14 split between forwards and backs. Unlike Australia, England are taking three hookers - Tom Youngs, Jamie George and Rob Webber - and five props: Dan Cole, Davey Wilson, Mako Vunipola, Kieran Brookes and Joe Marler.

The four locks are Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Geoff Parling and George Kruis with captain Chris Robshaw, Tom Wood, James Haskell and Billy Vunipola joining Easter in the back-row.

Richard Wigglesworth, Danny Care and Ben Youngs are the three scrum-halves with George Ford and Owen Farrell the two No.10s. Burgess is named alongside Slade, Jonathan Joseph and Brad Barritt in the centres with Jonny May, Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell the three wingers. Alex Goode and Mike Brown will vie for the first-choice fullback spot.

England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: "It's really positive that we have such depth and options to choose from. Selection wasn't easy and it is tough to leave anyone out but it's important to stress that the players not in this group are still part of our wider squad and could come in at any point."

England's Rugby World Cup Squad

Forwards: K. Brookes, D. Cole, D. Wilson, J. Marler, M. Vunipola, T. Youngs, J. George, R. Webber, J. Launchbury, G. Parling, C. Lawes, G. Kruis, T. Wood, J. Haskell, C. Robshaw (captain), B. Vunipola, B. Morgan

Backs: R. Wigglesworth, B. Youngs, D. Care, G. Ford, O. Farrell, S. Burgess, J. Joseph, H. Slade, B. Barritt, A. Goode, M. Brown, J. May, J. Nowell, A. Watson