England's request for Wilkinson is blocked

The Top 14 club insisted Wilkinson would "honour his contract" and remain in France for their opening league match of the season against Bayonne on 13 August.

England forwards Tom Palmer and James Haskell will only attend the camp for 24 hours before returning to Paris for Stade Francais' Friday night fixture against Bourgoin.

The French clubs are not obliged to release their players because England's training camp, which runs from 8-14 August, falls outside the official international window.

England locked horns with Stade Francais during the Six Nations over the issue of access to Haskell, prompting club owner Max Guazzini to claim the player was being held hostage.

The Rugby Football Union has been anxious to avoid any confrontation on this occasion, however, and all three players have Johnson's backing to play for their clubs.

In Wilkinson's case, England also considered the fact he is carrying a shoulder problem that has ruled him out of Toulon's pre-season game against Stade yesterday.

Injured England Saxons squad members Louis Deacon, Geoff Parling and Matt Mullan will also miss the get-together in order to continue treatment at their clubs.

The Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley, who missed the summer tour with a knee injury, will be reviewed by England's medical staff on Tuesday.

Johnson said: "We believe that these have been the right decisions to take after close and amicable consultation with the clubs concerned.

"We will continue to have regular contact and, subject to fitness, look forward to seeing all of the players when we meet again at the end of October ahead of the Investec internationals."

England play New Zealand, Australia, Samoa and South Africa on consecutive Saturdays in November.

Meanwhile, Australia's Faingaa twins will both start the Tri-Nations test against New Zealand in Christchurch tomorrow, Anthony having displaced Berrick Barnes at centre and Saia replacing Stephen Moore at hooker in the team. The Faingaas became the 40th set of brothers to represent Australia at test level when they both came on in last week's 49-28 defeat to New Zealand in Melbourne.