There were a number of shocks for Harlequins players when new England boss Martin Johnson announced his first elite squad yesterday.

David Strettle, Nick Easter and Mike Brown, who have all been regular features in the full England squad over the past year, were all dropped to the Saxons squad.

Meanwhile Danny Care, who only broke into the full squad during the recent tour of New Zealand, is the only Quins to remain in the elite 32.

Perhaps the biggest shock, however, was Will Skinner's omission from the Saxons squad just two weeks after leading them to victory in the Churchill Cup in America.

Fellow Quins Ugo Monye and Tom Guest, however, remain in the Saxons squad.