Saracens’ Maro Itoje has been cut from the England squad to face Scotland in the Six Nations next Saturday as coach Eddie Jones wants players he believes can handle the Murrayfield atmosphere.

Itoje is one of ten players released back to their clubs ahead of this weekend’s Premiership fixtures, leaving six other Saracens in the 23-strong squad for the Red Rose’s Six Nations opener on February 6.

Jamie George, George Kruis, Mako Vunipola, Billy Vunipola, Owen Farrell and Alex Goode have all been retained but Itoje is free to face Bath at Allianz Park on Saturday.

Explaining his decision to release ten players back to their clubs, Jones said: “When we have a team we are testing the players because we have got to get the players right to play Scotland at Murrayfield in front of 65,000 Scottish fans who will be going crazy.

“That’s pressure when you are there so we have got to select the players with the skills to cope with that.

“If the young players are not used to that then they have to go through various tests to prove how much they want to play for England and how capable they are.

“All of them have got great athletic ability but rugby is not played like that. It is played by rugby players who have got athletic ability.

“As long as they keep learning, they have got a great future,” Jones continued. “Every player who has come into camp has areas they need to improve upon. Now it is how hard they work on those areas.

“None of them are international players at the moment. The difference between being a good club player and an international player is about three-five per cent.

“Improving by three-five per cent is hard work. It takes application and sacrifice. Those young players are enormously talented, but they have got to work hard and keep learning. I am pretty confident that they will.”