The World Cup dream has ended for Gloucester pair Olly Morgan and Andy Hazell, London Irish back Shane Geraghty, Wasps centre Fraser Waters, Leicester lock Louis Deacon and Sale Sharks flanker Magnus Lund.

Lund, who has won 10 caps, is the most surprising omission from a revised 40-player group that will reconvene at England's University of Bath training base next week.

And full-back Morgan, capped twice during last season's RBS 6 Nations Championship, can also consider himself unlucky, but his omission clearly raises the prospect of Wasps starlet Danny Cipriani starting at number 15 during England's World Cup warm-up Test schedule next month.

But while World Cup hopes have been shattered for some, 2003 heroes like Lawrence Dallaglio, Mike Catt and Mark Regan remain on course to make Ashton's final 30-man squad for France, which will be announced on August 14.

Ashton said: "It has been a very difficult decision to let the six players go.

"They have all worked hard in training, and it has been good working with them.

"I have taken the decision to reduce the squad now because I've had a good look at everybody in the training camp, and it is important that we spend more time giving consideration to those who will make the 22 for the first of our warm-up games against Wales on August 4, France on August 11 and the World Cup squad to be announced on August 14.

"I am considering a further cut of players at the end of next weeks training, but at this stage I am not going to comment on who, or how many, as I haven't made those decisions yet."

The initial World Cup training squad of 47 announced last month included Leicester prop Julian White, but he subsequently made himself unavailable for the tournament due to family and business reasons.