England have called up rugby league converts Chris Ashton and Shontayne Hape to their revised elite player squad for the forthcoming Six Nations.
Ashton has been in prolific form for Northampton and is the current top try scorer in the Guinness Premiership, while Hape has impressed at centre for Bath.
Hape, 28, represented New Zealand in rugby league but is eligible for England through the residency ruling, and will follow in the footsteps of former league Kiwi internationals Henry Paul and Lesley Vainikolo if he wins an England cap.
Ashton, 22, scored a record 41 tries in just 31 games for Northampton in his first season in rugby union having moved from Wigan, and initially found the step up to the top flight difficult last season.
Their inclusion continues a trend of ex-rugby league stars to feature in the Six Nations, with Andy Farrell, Jason Robinson, Paul and Vainikolo also making the step up in recent years.
Former Widnes half-back Stephen Myler also continues to impress for Northampton and England Saxons, while Chev Walker was also on the fringes of the England side a couple of seasons ago, before he returned to league with Hull KR.
Hape is a strong running centre who enjoyed a prolific try-scoring career in league, first with New Zealand Warriors in the NRL and then with Bradford Bulls, for whom he scored 85 tries in 136 appearances, often featuring inside former England international Vainikolo.
While with the Bulls, Hape won virtually every club honour in the game, including the Super League title, the Challenge Cup and the World Club Challenge.
Ashton turned professional with hometown club Wigan Warriors, and was handed the task of filling the boots of legendary full back Kris Radlinski. Despite being handed the number 1 shirt for 2007, he soon agreed a deal to switch codes, and Wigan released him from his contract early so he could complete the switch, for a reported £140,000 a year.
England begin their Six Nations campaign at Twickenham against Wales on February 6, before travelling to Rome to face Italy on Febuary 14. Ireland visit HQ on February 27 before the Calcutta Cup on March 13, and the final game, and potential title decider, against France in Paris on March 20.
Forwards: S Armitage (London Irish), S Borthwick (Saracens), J Crane (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins), S Hape (Bath), (D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Francais), C Lawes (Northampton), L Mears (Bath), L Moody (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), S Shaw (Wasps), A Sheridan (Sale), S Thompson (Brive), J White (Leicester), D Wilson (Bath).
Backs: D Armitage (London Irish), C Ashton (Northampton), M Banahan (Bath), D Care (Harlequins), M Cueto (Sale), H Ellis (Leicester), T Flood (Leicester), B Foden (Northampton), R Flutey (Brive), D Hipkiss (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), U Monye (Harlequins), M Tait (Sale), J Wilkinson (Toulon).
