England v Samoa: Vunipola, Care and Eastmond dropped

Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care is one of three England players dropped by Stuart Lancaster for Saturday's game

England have dropped Billy Vunipola, Danny Care and Kyle Eastmond for Saturday's international against Samoa.

Coach Stuart Lancaster has picked James Haskell, Richard Wigglesworth and Billy Twelvetrees instead following defeats by New Zealand and South Africa.

"We always wanted to use these four games to look at options and Billy, Richard and James have been in great form for their clubs," said Lancaster.

Vunipola is likely to be replaced as starting number eight by Ben Morgan.

Tom Wood remains in the 23-man squad despite an underwhelming autumn, but he could be demoted to the role of offering back-row cover from the bench with 51-cap international Haskell picked at blindside flanker.

Care's collapse in form has resulted in his omission, leaving Wigglesworth and Ben Youngs to battle it out for the scrum-half role.

Eastmond was concussed against South Africa and has been unable to train this week, so England have called in Twelvetrees, who has recovered from an ankle problem.

Lancaster has hinted that he will opt for George Ford at fly-half with Owen Farrell moving to inside centre, a selection that would force Twelvetrees to settle for a spot among the replacements.

Flanker Calum Clark and centre Luther Burrell have been overlooked and will return to their club Northampton.

Haskell won the last of his 51 caps in the first Test of the summer tour to New Zealand, acquitting himself well only to be dropped for the second and third games of the 3-0 series defeat.

The Wasps captain's inclusion may shake up an under-performing back row as England seek to end a run of five successive defeats, albeit all of them by New Zealand or South Africa.

England squad to face Samoa

Forwards: Dave Attwood (Bath), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), James Haskell (Wasps), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain), Rob Webber (Bath), David Wilson (Bath), Tom Wood (Northampton).

Backs: Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Jonny May (Gloucester), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Anthony Watson (Bath), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Marland Yarde (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester).