Picking England's Rugby World Cup Squad

Head coach Stuart Lancaster will name his squad for England's Rugby World Cup campaign this Thursday, per the Telegraph.

With a couple of internal matches to decide on the final few names he may be dithering over, the tension in camp must be thick as players scramble to secure their slots.

It has been a long road to this point for Lancaster, who took the job on an interim basis back in 2012 and now finds himself about to lead England into a home World Cup.

In more recent times, he has had to deal with the loss through indiscipline of two first-team stars in Dylan Hartley and Manu Tuilagi, as well as wrestle with the dilemma over whether and where to include rugby league recruit Sam Burgess.

Then there was the public debate over players based in France such as Steffon Armitage and Nick Abendanon. The pair have each been named European Player of the Year in the last two seasons, but the England boss has stuck to his guns where overseas-based players are concerned, and they remain persona non grata.

So it now comes down a a final sit-down between Lancaster and his coaches around the table in the luxurious surrounds of England's Pennyhill Park headquarters.

Who will get the red pen struck through his name, and who will be added to the list to take a seat on the bus to Twickenham on 18 September?

Here's who we would pick.

Loosehead

Joe Marler

He didn't have the finest night in Paris but has proved his ability to bounce back and is always better after a few games under his belt. Marler has gone from impressive club player to Test prop in a year or two.

Alex Corbisiero

Fitness is a question mark, but ability when fit is no doubt at all. Australia would not like to see him on the team sheet given what he did to them during the Lions series in 2013, and Wales' tighthead side may also be vulnerable with Samson Lee fighting for fitness.

Hooker

Tom Youngs

The running and tackling boxes are ticked, but if you ask him to tick the lineout throwing box, he might miss the target. He needs to improve—fast.

Rob Webber

He's a solid backup plan to have on the bench but another with reliability issues at lineout time.

Jamie George

The late bolter may yet steal a starting place if his throwing continues to show better direction than Youngs'.

Tighthead

Dan Cole

It was an unspectacular showing in Paris from Cole, who is usually so efficient with his breakdown work. He's good enough to shrug that off.

David Wilson

Fitness can sometimes be questionable with Wilson, but he has proved capable at this level. England need a specialist No. 3 in reserve, and Wilson is it.

Who misses out?

Mako Vunipola

The young Saracen has the ability to make a huge impact off the bench, but his scrummaging is not as good as the other looseheads in the party.

Luke Cowan-Dickie

It has come too soon for the Exeter tyro, but a summer in the camp will have provided an invaluable education for the 22-year-old.

Kieran Brookes

After moving to Northampton, Brookes may well find himself back in the hunt for a regular England place come the Six Nations next year, but he lacks the experience of the more established members to make the cut this time.

Courtney Lawes

Lawes needs to regain that simple philosophy that got him into the side in the first place—stay close to the action and smash people.

Joe Launchbury

He lost the form he was showing pre-injury and needs to get it back. He's such a big influence when at his best but is a shadow of that at the moment, understandably.

Dave Attwood

He's much like Danny Grewcock but with better self-restraint. He's a horrible man to play against and is pushing hard for inclusion in the first team.

Geoff Parling

Parling is an accomplished lineout operator—and God knows England need plenty of those—and workhorse at the breakdown, where they were also second-best in Paris.

Who misses out?

George Kruis

His displays thus far have always been athletic and full of bite, but Attwood's extra edge and Parling's greater nous will see Kruis miss out this time.

Chris Robshaw

Robshaw's leadership qualities have been well-documented and are the reason he is the captain of this side. Whether a back row comprising the Harlequin and two similarly big bruisers will have the smarts to combat the potent combination of David Pocock and Michael Hooper is one of the key questions ahead of England's crunch pool clash with the Wallabies.

Tom Wood

Wood looked immovable from the No. 6 jersey a year-and-a-half ago, but injury struck and he has been in an arm-wrestle with James Haskell for the shirt ever since. He's probably the closest thing to a scavenger England have.

Billy Vunipola

England need Vunipola in the form he showed for Saracens last season. His fitness is much improved, and he has shed more weight in camp. When used correctly, he is an unstoppable force.

Ben Morgan

Morgan always delivers for England. He has recovered from the midseason broken leg that threatened his involvement and looks set for a role as impact sub. Those twisting runs of his seem to allow him to corkscrew through tackles and get over the gain line. He's a vital quality in the last 20 minutes against tiring defenders.

James Haskell

The persistent penalties Haskell used to give away seem to have died down. He is still not the all-seeing, silken-handed link man you'd like in the back row, but he can't half make some ground. He likes a big hit or two, as well. 

Who misses out?

Nick Easter

Easter possesses a better rugby brain than any of the men to make the back-row places in this squad, but I still can't fathom why that made him the perfect makeshift second row for Lancaster during the Six Nations.

He is too good to be brought in as a utility player and will not be the man called upon to rise from the bench as a replacement No. 8. That role goes to Morgan, and because I can't countenance shoving Easter into the second row, he goes home.

Matt Kvesic

It's pretty clear that England have opted not to try playing with a genuine No. 7, and they will name their squad without having given Kvesic any game time at all this summer. Shame.

Calum Clark

Clark's temperament was a question mark when he arrived in camp, and those concerns have not altogether been allayed with the yellow card he received at Twickenham against France. Too much risk, not enough reward.

Ben Youngs

Youngs was excellent during the Six Nations apart from the game in Dublin, and he had a rather quiet night in Paris. That performance can be put down to playing behind a struggling pack, which is not something he is used to in a white shirt.

Danny Care

The new captain of Harlequins looked to have earned the shirt for keeps in 2013, only for Youngs to roar back from injury and usurp him once again. Blistering speed and quick thinking make him a handy man to bring on.

Richard Wigglesworth

The Saracens man has become pigeonholed as a specialist replacement, a safe pair of hands to see a game out once Youngs has exhausted himself, but Steve James of the Telegraph sees much more in the former Sale man:

"Wigglesworth is not just a kicker—and he is undoubtedly the best box-kicker of all England's scrum-halves—and distributor. His defence and work around the fringes are high quality."

George Ford

Ford will be England's No. 10 for the World Cup after an impressive 2014 autumn campaign and assured displays in the 2015 Six Nations. Ireland put him under intolerable pressure in Dublin, and he did wilt a little, but he has the ability to get the England backs going.

Owen Farrell

Farrell was perhaps unlucky last season to have had an injury-disrupted start which opened the door for Ford. Nonetheless, he remains a quality No. 10 with the temperament and skill set to pull the strings when called upon. His goal kicking is probably still more reliable than Ford's.

Danny Cipriani

Cipriani makes my 31 for the simple reason that he can turn games on his own. His impact off the bench against France was impressive, and he is not afraid to take risks. Throw him on when you need something, and he will insert himself anywhere along the back line to try to make it happen. England need bold players to retrieve lost causes.

Luther Burrell

Burrell gets the nod over Sam Burgess and Billy Twelvetrees as one of two inside centre picks. The Northampton man did well enough against France in Paris to earn selection.

Brad Barritt

Barritt, if fit, is likely to be England's starting No. 12. His defensive solidity is a quality Lancaster holds in high regard, and his power carrying the short ball adds the right blend alongside the waspish Jonathan Joseph.

Jonathan Joseph

England's firecracker in the Six Nations, Joseph lit up the tournament with his fast feet and searing pace. He's the first name on the team sheet.

Henry Slade

Slade gets my vote as the fourth midfielder in this squad. The 22-year-old showed his passing ability at outside centre when he created a try for Anthony Watson in England's win over France at Twickenham.

Who misses out?

Sam Burgess

Burgess brought the expected physicality to his debut against France, but it is too soon to trust him up against the very best. Some of his tackles still slip a bit high, and in a World Cup, they can easily earn time in the bin or worse.

Billy Twelvetrees

Twelvetrees does bring an extra kicking option at No. 12, but he has a couple of high-profile mistakes that have cost tries on his record, and he doesn't bring as much physicality as Burrell or Barritt.

Jack Nowell

He's not as sharp a finisher as Jonny May or Anthony Watson, but Nowell can cut some dangerous lines off his wing and is defensively sound.

Anthony Watson

A real jack-in-the-box, Watson's fast feet earned him a brilliant try at Twickenham against France. He has to start for the sheer trickery he brings.

Jonny May

May is looking sharp after a summer in training camp. The Gloucester man buzzed around Twickenham to great effect in England's first clash with France. If England get the ball wide early, he will have the pace to damage any defence.

Mike Brown

He's back from his concussion-forced layoff and looked at ease in heavy traffic in Paris. England need his strong counter-attacking.

Alex Goode

He's a reliable replacement for Brown with a huge boot, added goal kicking ability and a cool head.