Eddie Jones has revealed that Denny Solomona is likely to miss England’s tour to Argentina due to a foot injury after omitting the New Zealand-born wing from his squad to face the Barbarians next Sunday.

Solomona will be further assessed on Monday but Jones, who has handed a surprise call-up to Richard Wigglesworth, conceded he was not optimistic over the 23-year-old, who has scored 11 tries in 15 matches for Sale since his controversial cross-code move in December.

Marland Yarde and Mike Haley are also in the 29-man squad preparing to face the Baa-Baas and are standing by to go to Argentina in place of Solomona, who qualified to represent England in March having completed the required three-year residency period. “He’s got a mid-foot strain. It puts him in doubt [for Argentina],” Jones said.

“He’s going to see a specialist tomorrow and we’ll know definitely then. We’re not hopeful, we believe it’ll be pretty doubtful that he goes on tour. It’s bad luck for the kid because he did really well in the couple of training sessions I saw him. He’s a nice boy and he’s got potential to be a good player for us.”

Last October Anthony Watson, Jack Nowell and Sam Jones all picked up injuries in a training camp on the south coast and Jones said: “It’s Brighton mate, they all happen at Brighton.”

With Solomona’s injury, Exeter, Wasps, Northampton and London Irish all still in action this week and Piers Francis only joining the squad in Argentina, Jones is still without 15 of the 31-man touring party he named last month. He has, however, been boosted by the availability of the Bath-bound flanker Sam Underhill, Leicester’s Ellis Genge and the Saracens pair Alex Lozowski and Nick Isiekwe, while Wigglesworth is selected in an England squad for the first time since the 2015 World Cup. He replaces the New Zealand-born Willi Heinz, whose inclusion in the Brighton camp raised a few eyebrows.

“It’s an opportunity to have a look at him and that’s what the Baa-Baas game is for,” said Jones, who will name a new captain with Dylan Hartley still on club duty with Northampton. “He’s always been a good player; I think he’s been playing a little bit better. I’ve always felt that, if we needed another senior half-back, we’d have a look at him and nothing has changed there.”

Asked if the 33-year-old Wigglesworth needed any persuasion to join the squad, Jones said: “I’ve spoken to him a few times previously. It’s a normal thing, when you’re English and play English club rugby, you want to play for England. Only one player has knocked me back. I won’t name him but you can work it out for yourself, he’s playing in France.”

Wigglesworth will not go to Argentina except as an injury replacement – Danny Care has been nursing a stomach problem but is due to return to full training on Monday – with Jones confirming he will not change the squad he named last month unless he needs to.

Last week Jones lamented that he was working with some players that were “seventh or eighth choice” in their positions and, while he has been boosted by the availability of losing Premiership and Pro12 semi-finalists, add in the 15 players in camp with the British & Irish Lions and Jones’s squad for the team to face the Barbarians still has a rookie feel to it. At hooker, for example, with no Hartley or Luke Cowan-Dickie, he must choose between the uncapped Rob Buchanan and Jack Singleton.

“They’ve both got a lot of work to do. Both have got a good deal of potential but young Singleton looks like he likes his English breakfasts too much,” said Jones, who referenced Ben Curry, Will Spencer and Jamal Ford-Robinson as uncapped players who have impressed in the camps in Brighton and Teddington during the past two weeks.

Jones will also get the chance to make a closer assessment of Underhill, a specialist openside flanker tipped for a bright future. “It’ll be good to have a look at him,” Jones said. “We’ve watched him a lot for the Ospreys and we feel he’s got the opportunity to take the next step forward. I think he’s a level-headed boy, he’s committed, he’s self-driven. He’ll handle all the hullabaloo and get on with being a good rugby player.”

George Ford, meanwhile, is likely to start on kicking duty for England for the first time since this end-of-season fixture 12 months ago, when Wales were the opponents. He missed six out of seven kicks at goal and was booed by the Twickenham crowd but Jones has no concerns. He said: “ I’ve seen Owen Farrell have bad days but I’m confident George is a good enough goalkicker.”

England training squad: Forwards Josh Beaumont (Sale), Rob Buchanan (Harlequins), Will Collier (Harlequins), Ben Curry (Sale), Tom Curry (Sale), Tom Ellis (Bath), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Jamal Ford-Robinson (Bristol), Ellis Genge (Leicester), Ross Harrison (Sale), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Nick Schonert (Worcester), Jack Singleton (Worcester), Will Spencer (Worcester), Sam Underhill (Bath), Mark Wilson (Newcastle). Backs Mike Brown (Harlequins), Danny Care (Harlequins), Nathan Earle (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Mike Haley (Sale), Sam James (Sale), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Joe Marchant (Harlequins), Jonny May (Gloucester), Ryan Mills (Worcester), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Marland Yarde (Harlequins).