WILL CARLING and his international midfield partner Jeremy Guscott have been recalled to the England squad alter twice being over looked during the summer months.

Both players, along with the Northampton utility back Nick Beal, have commanded sufficient attention with their recent club form to be invited by the selectors to take part in tomorrow's 45 man training session at Bisham Abbey.

Doubts about the prospects of the session taking place on schedule were dispelled yesterday by a statement from the English Professional Rugby Union Clubs (EPRUC) which gave their contracted players the go ahead to attend. Kim Deshayes, the EPRUC chief executive announced: "We are perfectly happy for the players to turn up for England training.

The return of Carling who has won 66 caps since 1988, reflects his important contribution as a centre and erstwhile goalkicker to Harlequins' rise to the top of the Courage Laegue. No doubt the former England captain's recent declaration that he would attend training if selected, irrespective of EPRUC's wishes, did him no harm with the national selectors but the case for his inclusion purely in playing terms was going to be difficult to deny in any case.

"I believe I've been chosen on form," said Carling. "England are prepared to take the southern hemisphere attitude that age does not matter. Great players like the All Black Frank Bunce who is 34 are chosen on their performances.

"I still have a great desire to play for my country. If I did not want to play again at Twickenham, I would have retired from Test rugby instead of just stepping down as captain."

Carling's successor as England's skipper - he resigned last March - will be named after manager Jack Rowell has had sufficient time to, talk to potential candidates and scrutinise their form at first hand. England's first international of the season will be against Italy on November 23rd though, depending on the outcome of negotiations, Australia may play a Test at Twickenham on November 2nd or 16th.

Carling and Guscott, however, are unlikely to resume their England partnership which began in 1989 and covers 43 matches to date, in any of England's pre Christmas internationals which also includes Argentina and the New Zealand Barbarians. Rowell will almost certainly want to try out a younger midfield player probably alongside an older man.