Harlequins number eight Nick Easter has recovered from a knee injury in time to be named in England's 32-man Six Nations squad.

Easter joins fellow Quins David Strettle and Andy Gomarsall in Brian Ashton's squad for the forthcoming championships despite fears that a knee injury sustained in the victory over Worcester last week could rule him out.

England open their Six Nations campaign against Wales at Twickenham on February 2.

England squad: Backs: Balshaw (Gloucester), Cipriani (Wasps), Cueto (Sale Sharks), Flood (Newcastle), Gomarsall (Harlequins), Hodgson (Sale Sharks), Noon (Newcastle), Richards (London Irish), Sackey (Wasps), Strettle (Harlequins), Tait (Newcastle), Tindall (Gloucester), Wigglesworth (Sale), Wilkinson (Newcastle), Vainikolo (Gloucester).

Forwards: Borthwick (Bath), Croft (Leicester), Chuter (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), Easter (Harlequins), Haskell (Wasps), Kay (Leicester), Mears (Bath), Moody (Leicester), Payne (Wasps), Rees (Wasps), Regan (Bristol), Shaw (Wasps), Sheridan (Sale), Stevens (Bath), Vickery (Wasps, capt), Worsley (Wasps).