VERSATILE back Chris Pennell will today put pen to paper on a new two-year contract with Worcester Warriors.

I understand the 22-year-old, who is comfortable playing at full-back, wing and centre, has agreed to extend his Sixways stay and joins the likes of fellow academy graduates Miles Benjamin and Matt Mullan in committing his future to the club.

The Worcester-born-and-bred youngster has done enough to prove to Mike Ruddock he merits a new contract following the second knee reconstruction operation of his fledgling career.

Pennell first burst into the senior team during the 2007/08 season when he made his Guinness Premiership debut against Bath.

A succession of serious injuries have limited his first-team action but, since returning, he has already bagged tries against Connacht, Olympus Rugby XV Madrid and Gloucester.

Meanwhile, highly-regarded Warriors prop Mullan is set to find out today if he will be included in Martin Johnson’s England squad to take on Wales in Saturday’s Six Nations opener when the team is named at noon.

After spending last week working with the Red Rose squad in Portugal, he was recalled to the training camp at Pennyhill Park Hotel, Bagshot, Surrey, on Sunday to continue preparations for this weekend’s big match (5pm).

England team manager Johnson believes his squad is in good shape after they returned home from their five-day stay in Portugal on Friday.

The 32-strong squad stayed at Browns Sport and Leisure Complex on the Algarve and again enjoyed quality training and preparation time together before the start of the Six Nations.

"We are building a good squad," said Johnson. "We are starting to add a bit of depth to our group, more than ever before.

“There is competition throughout and that is what you need. This is the best squad we have had in my time being in charge and it will only get stronger."

Worcester Warriors duo Tom Wood and Miles Benjamin both featured as England Saxons put their Churchill Cup final misery behind them by beating Ireland ‘A’ 17-13 at The Rec.

Back row Wood, who is off to Northampton Saints in the summer, played for over an hour at the home of Bath.

Wing Benjamin came off the bench for David Strettle as both Sixways stars, products of the Warriors academy, made Saxons debuts.