Ford on Eastmond

Bath head coach Mike Ford has sympathised with centre Kyle Eastmond after his omission from England’s World Cup squad.

Eastmond was one of seven players cut by England last Friday

His Bath team-mate Sam Burgess remains in the squad as do a number of other options including Billy Twelvetrees and Luther Burrell.

"I feel for Kyle. He's not got a chance to prove himself in a warm-up game," Ford told the Bath Chronicle.

"The centres that they've kept are not Kyle. No-one can play like Kyle. I'm massively disappointed for him.

"Kyle should have played with George [Ford]. Just like when JJ (Jonathan Joseph) and George played together in the Six Nations, they played really well together. I think George and Kyle would have played really well together.