Foden, equally adept as a full-back or scrum-half, is one of five selection changes in a revised 32-man group ahead of this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Foden, 23, replaces London Irish's Peter Richards from the squad announced by England team manager Martin Johnson last July.

Seasoned campaigners Mark Cueto and Mike Tindall are also called up, with Sale Sharks wing Cueto replacing Olly Barkley and Gloucester centre Tindall taking over from Dan Hipkiss.

The other selection-based changes see Harlequins wing Ugo Monye in for James Simpson-Daniel, and Quins number eight Nick Easter preferred to Leicester back-row forward Jordan Crane.

Gloucester full-back Olly Morgan is also named, while Johnson is still considering possible injury replacements for Wasps forwards Tom Palmer and Tom Rees, who are both in the squad, but currently sidelined from competitive action.

England kick off their RBS 6 Nations campaign against Italy at Twickenham on February 7, and the squad will head to Portugal on January 25 for a week's training as part of their preparations.

Johnson created room for Nick Easter and Ugo Monye, who were technically listed as injury cover despite playing all four autumn Tests, by dropping Jordan Crane and James Simpson-Daniel.

London Irish full-back Delon Armitage officially replaces Josh Lewsey, who retired from England duty after being overlooked in November.

Barkley, Crane and Simpson-Daniel are all included in the Saxons squad alongside veteran Leicester prop Julian White, who has not been involved with England since making himself unavailable for the 2007 World Cup.

White comes in for the injured Jason Hobson while Worcester’s promising young prop Matt Mullan comes in for Jack Forster.

In-form Harlequins duo Jordan Turner-Hall, the powerful centre, and flanker Chris Robshaw have also been included along with Wasps hooker Rob Webber.

The Saxons have two fixtures lined up during the Six Nations period, against Portugal on January 30 and Ireland A on February 6.

Revised 32-man England senior elite player squad:

Backs: D Armitage (London Irish), D Care (Harlequins), D Cipriani (Wasps), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), H Ellis (Leicester), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton), R Flutey (Wasps), S Geraghty (London Irish), U Monye (Harlequins), O Morgan (Gloucester), J Noon (Newcastle), P Sackey (Wasps), M Tait (Sale Sharks), M Tindall (Gloucester).

Forwards: S Borthwick (Saracens), G Chuter (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Wasps), N Kennedy (London Irish), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), L Narraway (Gloucester), T Palmer (Wasps), T Payne (Wasps), T Rees (Wasps), S Shaw (Wasps), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), M Stevens (Bath), P Vickery (Wasps).

England Saxons elite player squad:

Backs: N Abendanon (Bath), M Banahan (Bath), O Barkley (Gloucester), M Brown (Harlequins), D Hipkiss (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), R Lamb (Gloucester), S Myler (Northampton), T Ojo (London Irish), P Richards (London Irish), J Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester), D Strettle (Harlequins), J Turner-Hall (Harlequins),  D Waldouck (Wasps), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks).

Forwards: S Armitage (London Irish), R Blaze (Leicester), J Crane (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), T Guest (Harlequins), B Kay (Leicester), M Lipman (Bath), M Mullan (Worcester), D Paice (London Irish), C Robshaw (Harlequins), G Skivington (Wasps), J Ward (Wasps), R Webber (Wasps), J White (Leicester), D Wilson (Newcastle), N Wood (Gloucester), J Worsley (Wasps).