Chris Cracknell returns to the Sevens fold for Englnad © RFU

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England Sevens boss Simon Amor has named his squad for the opening leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series and has handed Phil Burgess his first call up.

Burgess was running out for the Cornish Pirates last term but has signed a contract to be one of the Rugby Football Union's centrally contracted Sevens players. He is joined in the squad by Chris Cracknell who makes his return to the Sevens scene after missing most of last year due to a knee injury.

The first leg of the Series kicks off in Australia on October 12 and Amor, who has only been in the role of Sevens boss for a month, is hopeful the team will make a good start to his tenure.

"We have experience in nine of the 12 who appeared in Moscow but it's important to recognise that this is a new team with new ideas," Amor said. "We are focused on developing our game and changing the way we play, and we will make mistakes, but if we get it right we've every chance of being successful.

"It's good to be able to give Phil Burgess his first appearance at this level and from what I've seen in the FIRA tournaments he's got the potential to be a good sevens international at hooker, particularly with the lines he runs and his work at the breakdown.

"It's great to have Chris Cracknell back too. It will take time for him to get back to the fantastic form he was in a couple of years ago but we've already seen glimpses in Europe of the power he can bring to our game."

England squad:

Dan Bibby, John Brake, Phil Burgess, Chris Cracknell, Mike Ellery, Christian Lewis-Pratt, Tom Mitchell, Dan Norton, Tom Powell, James Rodwell, Mathew Turner, Rob Vickerman