By James Crook

England Sevens Dan NortonJune 21 - England Sevens head coach Ben Ryan has announced his 12-man squad that will compete in the International Rugby Board (IRB) World Cup Sevens at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow next week.

It includes 11 players involved in England's third place finishes in the last two rounds of the HSBC World Series in Glasgow and London, including former Newcastle Falcons centre Rob Vickerman, who will captain the side in the Russian capital.

He and James Rodwell are the only players included in the squad that were involved at the 2009 World Cup Sevens in Dubai, where England finished fifth after losing out on a place in the semi-finals to Samoa.

Dan Norton, who has scored an incredible 52 tries in the HSBC World Series this year and topped the World Series points ranking table is included, along with The Rugby Players' Association (RPA) Sevens Player of the Year award nominees Marcus Watson and Tom Powell.

Dan Norton Twickenham rugby sevensDan Norton has been in deadly form this season and is set to provide England's greatest threat at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow

Mat Turner and Tom Mitchell, who have recently made their comebacks from injury, are also in the squad.

Ryan said: "It's been a difficult decision to whittle this squad down to just 12 - we have left some key players at home - but this is a squad I am really excited about.

"I am delighted to name Rob as captain.

"He is a fantastic captain who always leads by example.

"He is an excellent Sevens player who is hitting a rich vein of form right now.

"All the squad really respect him both as a player and a captain and it's fantastic to have someone of his calibre coming into a Rugby World Cup.

"We have also missed some key players this season so to have some of them back for the World Cup is a nice bonus.

"Players like Tom Mitchell and Mat Turner returned for the last couple of rounds of the World Series but since then they have gone up another notch, especially in terms of their fitness, and it's going to be really exciting to see what they can do in Moscow.

"To have them, and also a player of Dan Norton's ability in our squad is very exciting.

"We're heading to Moscow with some good momentum behind us after two third place finishes in Glasgow and London and then winning the first leg of the European Grand Prix in Lyon.

"That has given us some added confidence, coupled with some great preparation.

"The squad is looking sharp, very fit and ready for the challenge ahead."

Rob VIckerman EnglandCentre Rob Vickerman, one of only two survivors from the last World Cup squad, will captain England's Sevens team in Moscow

England are comfortable favourite to progress from their group , which contains Portugal, Hong Kong and Argentina, but Ryan knows that there is no room for complacency from his squad.

"We are going to Russia to win the World Cup, not to make up the numbers, but at the same time we would be foolish to not concentrate on the present first.

"Only the winner of each pool goes through to the knock out stages so we know we have got to win all three games.

"Portugal, Argentina and Hong Kong are all good operators who are capable of big wins.

"We have studied them hard and although we have got a good record against them we know we have got to bring our A game."

The 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens is due to start on June 28 and conclude on June 30.

The full England Sevens squad is as follows: Tom Powell, James Rodwell, Mike Ellery, Rob Vickerman, Jeffrey Williams, John Brake, Mat Turner, Tom Mitchell, Christian Lewis-Pratt, Marcus Watson, Dan Norton, Mark Odejobi.

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