The 18-year-old Newcastle prodigy looks set for a midfield place at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday week.

And his centre partner could be Newcastle team-mate Jamie Noon, who has also clinched a squad place, along with fellow midfield candidates Ollie Smith, Henry Paul and Olly Barkley.

England head coach Andy Robinson stressed that his 30-man group had been selected only with the Wales game in mind.

Injuries have sidelined the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall and Martin Corry, although they are expected to feature at some stage in the championship campaign.

Robinsons squad will assemble for training in Surrey early next week and he is due to name the starting line-up on Monday.

It was no easy matter cutting back Englands training squad to just 30, when every place has been so keenly contested, said Robinson.

The enthusiasm and commitment shown by the players in our training days with Leeds Rhinos at Headingley, and at Loughborough University this month, has been tremendous.

There is a real sense of excitement throughout the squad as we get ready to take on Wales.

Englands 30-man squad for RBS 6 Nations Championship game against Wales in Cardiff on February 5.

Backs: J Robinson (Sale Sharks, capt), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), J Lewsey (Wasps), I Balshaw (Leeds), B Cohen (Northampton), M Tait (Newcastle), J Noon (Newcastle), O Smith (Leicester), H Paul (Gloucester), O Barkley (Bath), C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), M Dawson (Wasps), A Gomarsall (Gloucester), H Ellis (Leicester).

Forwards: G Rowntree (Leicester), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks), J White (Leicester), P Vickery (Gloucester), S Thompson (Northampton), A Titterrell (Sale Sharks), G Chuter (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Bath), B Kay (Leicester), H Vyvyan (Saracens), L Moody (Leicester), A Hazell (Gloucester), J Worsley (Wasps), J Forrester (Gloucester).