Eddie Jones signalled a changing of the guard as he axed four World Cup finalists and put England’s future in the hands of Marcus Smith.
Billy and Mako Vunipola, George Ford and Jamie George have been omitted from the autumn squad despite returning to near their best form.
Jones has instead gone for youth, with fly-half Smith heading a new wave which also features Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, Adam Radwan and Raffi Quirke.
England’s head coach was unapologetic for binning a heavy-duty quartet, boasting 264 caps between them, declaring that he had “drawn a line in the sand”.
“This squad’s a reflection of how we think we need to move forward,” Jones explained. “We have a number of players who’ve been through two World Cup campaigns.
"With the third World Cup campaign, I’ve seen it previously and my experience tells me, some players can want to go to the World Cup but they don’t really have the will to prepare to win the World Cup.
“At the moment I feel they need to regenerate and rejuvenate. They need to add things to their game if they’re going to continue to the next World Cup.
“We could have the most experienced side in the world by then, but whether they’ve got that will to go that extra 10 per cent, that’s what I’m trying to find out.”
Jones says his bold decision was informed by his experience coaching Australia after the 2003 tournament when “I probably kept some players longer than I should have”.
Nonetheless it is a big call, coming hours after Saracens boss Mark McCall declared that he would be “amazed” if the Vunipolas and George were jettisoned.
McCall had just seen his team annihilate Bath 71-17 in their own backyard, yet Jones' squad contains more players from Bath than Saracens.
Jones acknowledged he was likely to experience some blowback, borrowing a 'very relevant' quote from England football counterpart Gareth Southgate.
“Gareth said every time a head coach in England makes a selection it is like you have committed a crime,” he said.
“It is difficult leaving out those senior players. They have been great players, they have been loyal and done well for you.
“But the job of the head coach is to make judgement and the judgement is that we need to move onto a World Cup selection process.”
With that in mind he is excited to finally give Smith his chance, four years after picking him as a teenager straight out of school.
“The role of the 10 is to be the bus driver and conductor,” said Jones. “He’s got to create a route for the team, a place for the team to go and get them to play to that beat.
“Handling the fanfare and expectation is always the big test. How they handle either the criticism or the adulation and keep perspective.
“We think Marcus can handle it. We wouldn’t have selected him if we didn’t.”
Other notable casualties include Jack Nowell, Dan Robson, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Marchant, summer captain Lewis Ludlow and Beno Obama.
Luke Cowan-Dickie, Maro Itoje and Anthony Watson keep their places despite being injured over the weekend.
Owen Farrell remains captain and is set to form a 10-12 playmaking axis with fly-half Smith.
England squad:
Forwards: Jamie Blamire (Newcastle), Callum Chick (Newcastle), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), Tom Curry (Sale), Trevor Davison (Newcastle), Nic Dolly (Leicester), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Ellis Genge (Leicester), Jonny Hill (Exeter), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Lewis Ludlam (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), George Martin (Leicester), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol), Will Stuart (Bath), Sam Underhill (Bath)
Backs: Mark Atkinson (Gloucester), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Tommy Freeman (Northampton), George Furbank (Northampton), Max Malins (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester), Raffi Quirke (Sale), Adam Radwan (Newcastle), Harry Randall (Bristol), Henry Slade (Exeter), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester), Manu Tuilagi (Sale), Anthony Watson (Bath), Ben Youngs (Leicester)