Lancashire's Martin O'Keefe, Paul Arnold, Dave Muckalt, Sean Casey and Rob Hitchmough will line up against Gloucestershire's Tony Windo, Paul Price, Dave Knight and Paul Knight at Twickenham on Saturday.

Then they will join forces in a 26-strong squad that plays two games in Romania and one in France next month.

The England Counties is established as the country's second tier national side following last year's three-match tour to Chile, which included a 33-21 test win in Santiago.

This summer they take on Romania A in Constanta on June 10, Romania in Bucharest on June 14 and France Amateurs at Blagnac, near Toulouse, on June 24.

Ten counties are represented and Lancashire provide the biggest contingent of five players. Middlesex and Gloucestershire contribute four each and there are three each from Cumbria and Yorkshire.

Manager Rob Udwin and his selectors have put together the tour party from the sides taking part in this season’s Tetley’s County Championship and Shield games.

And now the coaching team of Yorkshire’s Bob Hood and Cumbria’s Tom Borthwick will start working with the players at Broadstreet RFC on May 30 before the team fly out to Romania on June 7.

“There’s no question that the Tetley’s County Championship is stronger this season judging by the number of National League One players we’ve had to select from,” said Udwin.  “The squad is a step up in quality from the one that went to Chile and it needs to be because of the size of the task we’re going to face in Bucharest and Toulouse.

“We believe we’ll have a side capable of competing up front and one with a lot of pace out wide.  It’s also a young squad with 18 of the players aged 27 and under and I know the coaches are very excited about working with them.”

Former Gloucester prop Tony Windo – who led the team to their test win against Chile – is the captain of a tour party that includes 10 survivors from last year’s trip.  Among the new recruits are brothers Dave and Paul Knight from Birmingham & Solihull and three players from London Welsh in flanker Florent Rossigneux, wing Martin Giraud and centre John Swords.

ENGLAND COUNTIES SQUAD

FORWARDS

Tony Windo (Worcester & Gloucestershire)

Martin O'Keefe (Orrell & Lancashire)

Michael Armstrong (Manchester & Cumbria)

Paul Price (Lydney & Gloucestershire)

Terry Sigley (Birmingham & Solihull & North Midlands)

Richard Moore (Nuneaton & Warwickshire)

Paul Arnold (Sedgely Park & Lancashire)

Lee Soper (Launceston & Cornwall)

Jason Oakes (Otley & Northumberland)

Dave Muckalt (Manchester & Lancashire)

Florent Rossigneux (London Welsh & Middlesex)           

Nathan Bland (Otley & Cumbria)

Shaun Brady (Coventry & Warwickshire)

Glen Wilson (Wakefield & Yorkshire)

BACKS

Andy Brown (Otley & Yorkshire)

Paul Knight (Birmingham & Solihull and Gloucestershire)

Peter Murphy (Manchester & Cumbria)

Sean Casey (Liverpool St. Helens & Lancashire)

Jan Bonney (Esher & Middlesex)

Craig Cooper (Manchester & Cheshire)

Mark Kirkby (Otley & Yorkshire)

Martin Giraud (London Welsh & Middlesex)

John Swords (London Welsh & Middlesex)

Dave Knight (Birmingham & Solihull & Gloucestershire)

Rob Hitchmough (Waterloo & Lancashire)

James Moore (Vale of Lune & Cheshire)