Jack Singleton has been drafted into the England squad for the build-up to their opening Six Nations game with France.

The Harpenden hooker replaces Exeter Chiefs' Luke Cowan-Dickie who has departed the camp for family reasons.

He was originally left out by head coach despite having played a part in England's run to the World Cup final.

The 23-year-old heads to international duty having just paid a sentimental visit to where it all began for him at Harpenden Rugby Club.

He was there as part of a Saracens Sports Foundation mixed ability rugby event and it gave him another chance to look at the state-of-the-art pitch now used at the Redbourn Lane ground, a far cry from his time as a junior at the club.

"The grass pitch was always good but we were never allowed to use it," he laughed.

"We used to come on a Thursday and we'd train down on one of the pitches in the corner just so we didn't ruin any for the weekend.

"So having this 4G pitch is awesome. It's great for the club and the community to have."

Singleton is back on home turf after re-joining Sarries from Worcester in the summer and he has found the transition a lot easier than it could have been.

He said: "It's great being back here at the rugby club and back in Harpenden in general. It's been fairly seamless moving back to Saracens as I knew a lot of the guys from before and through England."