Friendly Game - England coach Brian Ashton has confirmed he will not consider players from Leicester, Wasps or Bath for either Test during next month's tour to South Africa.

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All three clubs are in European action the weekend before the first Test in Bloemfontein on May 26 - Bath in the European Challenge Cup final on May 19 and Leicester and Wasps in the European Cup final a day later.

Although England play the second Test in Pretoria on June 2, Ashton has decided he will not call on players from these clubs for either game.

The decision leaves him short of at least 25 players who would have been in contention for a place, not to mention several injured players from other clubs.

"I've reached the decision based on three principles," said Ashton. " Firstly, the players will not have time to prepare and acclimatise for the first Test match.

"Secondly, after their massive efforts spent in reaching the European and European Challenge Cup finals it gives this group of players the opportunity to recharge their batteries before meeting up again for the World Cup warm-up camps, which start on 25 June.

"Finally, I also feel very strongly that the players I will select for the touring squad must be trusted and respected to fulfil the two fixtures against South Africa."

Ashton will also be without injured Glocuester duo Olly Morgan and Mike Tindall, while Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley has been suspended for a six months for eye-gouging, although Saints have launched an appeal.

There are also doubts over props Perry Freshwater, who has commitments with club Perpignan, and Andrew Sheridan of Sale, who is yet to fully recover from injury, while fly-half Jonny Wilkinson currently has a rib injury.

South Africa coach Jake White recently confirmed he would be naming his strongest possible line-up for both Tests as part of the Springboks' World Cup preparations.

Tests against the Springboks in Pretoria and Bloemfontein provide a stiff enough challenge for the strongest of squads, let alone what could possibly be a third-string tour party.

Ashton is due to name his 32-strong tour squad on Tuesday.

Unavailable players:

Wasps - Phil Vickery, Tom Voyce, Paul Sackey, Josh Lewsey, Simon Shaw, James Haskell, Tom Rees, Danny Cipriani, Tom Palmer, Lawrence Dallaglio, Dominic Waldouck, Mark Van Gisbergen, Joe Worsley.

Leicester - Martin Corry, Lewis Moody, Louis Deacon, Dan Hipkiss, Julian White, George Chuter, Harry Ellis, Tom Varndell.

Bath - Lee Mears, Danny Grewcock, Steve Borthwick, Matt Stevens, Olly Barkley, Nick Abendanon.