England look to fringe

England's fringe World Cup candidates have been urged to take their chance and give Martin Johnson a selection nudge at Twickenham on Sunday.

The annual Barbarians clash comes just six days before England Saxons' Churchill Cup campaign continues a final group of fixtures ahead of England manager Johnson announcing an enlarged World Cup training squad. His cut-off date to then name the 30 players who will travel to New Zealand is 22 August, which follows World Cup warm-up games against Wales (home and away) earlier that month, and comes five days before facing Ireland in Dublin.

Saxons head coach Stuart Lancaster will take charge of preparations to tackle the Barbarians. Players in the spotlight look set to include a Gloucester quartet of Paul Doran-Jones, Dave Attwood, Luke Narraway and James Simpson-Daniel, Northampton's No 9 Lee Dickson and his potential half-back partner Charlie Hodgson. A 24-man squad also includes 13 uncapped players, with Exeter flanker Tom Johnson and Harlequins prop Joe Marler hoping for a chance.

Lancaster said: "It is a great opportunity for all the players looking to force their way into Martin Johnson's plans for the World Cup, and those who will go on to defend the Churchill Cup with the England Saxons.

The Barbarians squad is due to be finalised this morning

• New Zealand winger Joe Rokocoko has joined Bayonne on a two-year deal. Rokocoko, who has won 68 caps for the All Blacks and scored 44 tries, has been named in New Zealand's preliminary squad for this year's World Cup but the 27-year-old will join Bayonne after the tournament in New Zealand.

England squad: M Brown (Harlequins), J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), U Monye (Harlequins), M Banahan (Bath), H Trinder (Gloucester), J Turner-Hall (Harlequins), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), S Myler (Northampton), R Clegg (Harlequins), L Dickson (Northampton), P Hodgson (London Irish), J Marler (Harlequins), M Mullan (Worcester), K Brookes (Newcastle), P Doran-Jones (Gloucester), D Paice (London Irish), J Gray (Harlequins), D Attwood (Gloucester), G Kitchener (Worcester), C Clark (Northampton), C Fearns (Sale Sharks), T Johnson (Exeter), J Gaskell (Sale Sharks), L Narraway (Gloucester).