England manager Martin Johnson has called uncapped winger Chris Ashton into his squad after Sale's Mark Cueto became the latest player to be sidelined with a stomach bug.
Cueto missed training on Thursday but has not yet been ruled out of the starting line-up for the RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland.
Ashton, the Guinness Premiership’s leading try-scorer, has linked up with the squad at their Pennyhill Park base.
Captain Steve Borthwick, Simon Shaw, Toby Flood and Shontayne Hape have all been laid low by bugs during the tournament with ex-rugby league star Hape having to withdraw from the bench for the win over Wales.
Should Cueto fail to recover in time Johnson could call in Ben Foden or switch Mathew Tait from the centre but both aren’t natural wingers meaning Ashton is likely to get the nod for his first cap.