English Rugby
Hartley to make return against Baa-Baas
ESPN Staff
May 15, 2012
England hooker Dylan Hartley, England v Ireland, Six Nations, Twickenham, London, England, March 17, 2012
Dylan Hartley could face the Barbarians on May 27 © Getty Images
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England have included Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley in their squad to face the Barbarians on May 27.

Hartley's suspension, for an incident with Stephen Ferris in England's Six Nations victory over Ireland in March, expired on Monday. The Northampton captain has been named in a 27-man England squad that does not feature any players from Leicester or Harlequins, who meet in the Aviva Premiership final the previous day.

Freddie Burns, Jamie Gibson, Haydn Thomas and Richard Wigglesworth have all been drafted into the squad from outside England's touring party for the non-cap international. While Burns, Gibson and Thomas are all uncapped, Wigglesworth was part of the England squad for the 2011 World Cup.

After facing the Barbarians, the squad will then depart for South Africa where they will play a five-match tour including three Tests against the Springboks. For England coach Stuart Lancaster, the match against the Baa-Baas will be essential in gaging where his players stand ahead of the tour.

Lancaster said: "This match has become an established fixture in the season and is hugely important for us ahead of the tour. We will obviously be without the Leicester and Harlequins players - and best of luck to both those teams in the Aviva Premiership final - but this is a great opportunity for the rest of the squad, as well as Freddie, Jamie, Richard and Haydn, to put a marker down before we leave for the tour."

England will face a Barbarians side featuring former captain Mike Tindall and featuring Wales fly-half Stephen Jones, plus Samoan pair Sailosi Tagicakibau and Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu after they were named in the squad for the summer Tests.

England squad:

Forwards - M Botha (Saracens), A Corbisiero (London Irish), P Doran-Jones (Northampton), P Dowson (Northampton), C Fearns (Bath), J Gibson (London Irish), D Hartley (Northampton), T Johnson (Exeter), J Launchbury (Wasps), L Mears (Bath), B Morgan (Scarlets), M Mullan (Worcester), T Palmer (Stade Francais), M Stevens (Saracens)

Backs - C Ashton (Northampton), B Barritt (Saracens), F Burns (Gloucester), L Dickson (Northampton), O Farrell (Saracens), B Foden (Northampton), A Goode (Saracens), C Hodgson (Saracens), J Joseph (London Irish), D Strettle (Saracens), H Thomas (Exeter), C Wade (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Saracens).

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