Ben Te'o: England career over as centre joins Toulon

Ben Te'o left Worcester at the end of the 2018-19 season after three years with the club

Ben Te'o's England career is over after he signed a short-term deal with French Top 14 side Toulon.

The centre, who has 18 caps, was left out of Eddie Jones' World Cup squad last week, but will now be ineligible for a call-up in the event of injury.

That comes after the Rugby Football Union reiterated its selection policy with regard to foreign-based players.

It is understood Te'o was involved in an off-field altercation at England's summer training camp in Italy.

England boss Jones is yet to confirm whether the incident - which took place on a team social - had any part to play in his omission from the World Cup squad.

Either way, Te'o's absence from the 31-man group was notable, given the way Jones had continually picked the former rugby league star over the previous three years.

The 32-year-old's contract with Toulon runs until November to provide cover for those at the World Cup.

He left Premiership side Worcester at the end of last season after just 33 games for the Sixways outfit over three years following his arrival from Leinster.

Te'o's absence from the England squad increases the pressure on Manu Tuilagi, who is the sole ball-carrying centre at Jones' disposal.

Tuilagi, who has shaken off years of injury to feature in every England game this year, is set to start against Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Rugby World Cup starts next month in Japan.