England coach Steve McNamara paves a path to Bath for Kyle Eastmond

Steve McNamara, the England coach, conceded defeat in his attempt to dissuade Kyle Eastmond from moving to rugby union when he omitted him from an expanded training squad that has been selected to prepare for the Four Nations series at the end of the season, with an eye on the 2013 World Cup. McNamara held talks over the winter with the 21-year-old scrum-half and his agent, as did the Rugby Football League chief executive, Nigel Wood. But for at least a fortnight it has been a question of when, rather than if, Eastmond's move to Bath will be confirmed. With the player's relationship with Saints' supporters now apparently tarnished beyond repair, after a series of hesitant performances, the answer now seems likely to be sooner rather than later. That is arguably a greater blow to country than club, as Eastmond had long been identified as the sort of attacking talent that England desperately need if they are to re-establish international credibility. He was fast-tracked into the national team by McNamara's predecessor, Tony Smith, in the 2009 Four Nations, when his half-back partnership with Wigan's Sam Tomkins showed real promise. Now, with Tomkins operating at full-back for Wigan, McNamara is left to search for a new pair of playmakers. He has responded by calling up Danny Brough, the maverick Huddersfield scrum-half whose only international experience has come with Scotland – as their captain in the 2008 World Cup and most recently in a European Cup game in France last autumn, when they were attempting to qualify for the Four Nations. McNamara has also recalled Leon Pryce, Eastmond's experienced St Helens half-back partner who has yet to play this season because of a groin injury, more than two years since his last international appearance, in the ill-fated 2008 World Cup campaign. Paul Prescott and Michael McIlorum, two young Wigan forwards who played in Sunday's World Club Challenge defeat by the St George Illawarra Dragons, have been persuaded to switch allegiances from Ireland, for whom they qualified, like Brough for Scotland, through ancestry. Three members of last autumn's Four Nations squad – the Wigan wing Darrell Goulding, Warrington centre Ryan Atkins and Huddersfield hooker Shaun Lunt – have been relegated to the second-string England Knights squad. Four players have been dropped completely. Age has counted against the experienced props Stuart Fielden and Garreth Carvell; Kevin Brown and Darrell Griffin of Huddersfield are more surprising omissions. Other significant inclusions are the in-form Leeds outside back Ben Jones-Bishop, the young Hull KR prop Liam Watts and Brett Ferres of Castleford. Luke Gale's contribution to Harlequins' successful start to the season is recognised with a place in the Knights squad. England Elite Training Squad: Chris Bridge , Ben Harrison , Adrian Morley , Richard Myler , Ben Westwood (all Warrington); Tom Briscoe (Hull); Peter Fox , Liam Watts , Kris Welham (all Hull KR); Rob Burrow , Ryan Hall , Ben Jones-Bishop , Danny McGuire , Jamie Peacock , Kevin Sinfield (all Leeds); Danny Brough , Eorl Crabtree , Leroy Cudjoe , Luke Robinson (all Huddersfield); Michael McIlorum , Paul Prescott , Sam Tomkins , Joel Tomkins , Sean O'Loughlin (all Wigan); James Graham , Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook , Leon Pryce , James Roby , Michael Shenton , Jon Wilkin (all St Helens); Tony Clubb (Harlequins); Brett Ferres (Castleford). England Knights: Joe Arundel , John Walker (both Castleford); Ryan Atkins , Chris Riley (both Warrington); Jodie Broughton , Stefan Ratchford , Matty Smith (all Salford); Josh Charnley , Liam Farrell , Darrell Goulding , Stefan Marsh , Lee Mossop (all Wigan); Paul Clough , Jonathan Lomax , Scott Moore (all St Helens); James Donaldson , Elliott Whitehead (both Bradford); Dale Ferguson , Michael Lawrence , Jermaine McGilvray , Larne Patrick , Shaun Lunt (all Huddersfield); Luke Gale (Harlequins), Kallum Watkins (Leeds); Joe Westerman (Hull).