Sam Burgess is destined to survive the next, deep cut of England’s World Cup training squad and line up at inside centre against France at Twickenham on August 15.

The 26-year-old former rugby league superstar is being considered solely as a midfield candidate by national coach Stuart Lancaster, despite excelling at flanker for Bath late last season.

Sportsmail understands that – after making a strong impression during the training camp in Denver – Burgess will not be among the group of up to nine players released at the end of next week.

Sam Burgess is poised to line up at inside centre against France at Twickenham on August 15

Burgess is understood to have made quite an impression on England head coach Stuart Lancaster

Burgess pictured taking part in an England training session during their US training camp last week

Burgess has been training and bonding with his England team-mates across the pond recently

Instead, the Yorkshireman has been pencilled-in for a World Cup audition in England’s No 12 shirt, in the opening warm-up match against the French.

With the management opting to use that fixture as a means of assessing fringe squad contenders, it is thought that Burgess is likely to line up alongside Danny Cipriani at fly-half and Exeter’s young sensation, Henry Slade, at outside centre.

With just three games remaining before their tournament opener against Fiji on September 18, the coaches are still grappling with a dilemma over their midfield selections.

The latest indications are that Brad Barritt and Jonathan Joseph are squad certainties, while Billy Twelvetrees and Kyle Eastmond – who have both started Tests in the last nine months – will be jettisoned. That leaves Burgess, Slade and Luther Burrell vying for two places.

Wales should have their leading tighthead, Samson Lee, available for the World Cup as the Scarlets prop is said to be ‘ahead of schedule’ in his recovery after rupturing an Achilles tendon in March.

The Bath star took to Instagram and posted: 'What an awesome two weeks training in Denver with all the boys. Tough, uncompromising and fun. Time for home now though.'