Either James Haskell or Calum Clark will start at openside against France

Gloucester No 7 Matt Kvesic has been cut from the England squad

Tom Wood is on course to captain England against France next weekend as head coach Stuart Lancaster plans for the nightmare scenario of an injury to Chris Robshaw.

As England announced the latest cuts to their World Cup squad on Friday evening, Robshaw remains a certainty to lead the hosts into the tournament next month.

But Lancaster is ready to take steps to address the doomsday threat of losing his established skipper.

Northampton flanker Tom Wood is set to captain England against France at Twickenham next Saturday

Regular skipper Chris Robshaw (centre) is set to be rested for the visit of Les Bleus to England HQ

Head coach Stuart Lancaster cut seven players from his World Cup training squad on Friday

Wood deputised for the two-Test tour of Argentina in 2013, when Robshaw was rested, and it is understood that the Northampton flanker will re-assert his status as the first alternative captain by filling the role for the opening warm-up game at Twickenham a week today.

Friday’s announcement of seven players — fewer than previously anticipated — who have been released back to their clubs included the name of England’s leading available specialist openside, Matt Kvesic.

The Gloucester No 7 has long been identified as the man to challenge Robshaw for his place in the back row, but as he has been removed from the squad, either James Haskell or Calum Clark are poised to occupy that position in seven days’ time.

The decision to rest Robshaw for the first of three pre-tournament matches is belated recognition of the need to prepare for his enforced absence.

Since Lancaster took charge of the national team at the end of 2011, the Harlequin has missed just three Tests — the two in Argentina and one against South Africa in Port Elizabeth due to injury, when Dylan Hartley deputised.

Wood is a senior player who has regularly captained Northampton. It is thought that he was initially identified as Lancaster’s preferred candidate to become skipper, only to suffer an injury in January 2012.

Robshaw was inexperienced when he first stepped up to the post and suffered fierce criticism during the autumn of his first year in charge. There were also misgivings about his ability to thrive in the breakdown contest at Test level.

Gloucester openside Matt Kvesic has failed to make the cut for the forthcoming World Cup on home soil

ENGLAND TRAINING SQUAD Backs: B Barritt, M Brown, L Burrell, S Burgess, D Care, D Cipriani, O Farrell, G Ford, A Goode, J Joseph, J May, J Nowell, H Slade, B Twelvetrees, A Watson, R Wigglesworth, B Youngs. Forwards: D Attwood, K Brookes, C Clark, D Cole, A Corbisiero, L Cowan-Dickie, N Easter, J George, J Haskell, C Lawes, J Launchbury, G Kruis, J Marler, B Morgan, G Parling, C Robshaw, M Vunipola, B Vunipola, R Webber, D Wilson, T Wood, T Youngs. Advertisement

But doubts have subsided as Robshaw has led England with increasing authority and delivered dominant performances in a series of high-stakes fixtures.

Lancaster has persisted with his policy of appointing a captain on a tournament-by-tournament, series-by-series basis. But there is no prospect of Robshaw being usurped for the World Cup, despite the head coach railing at assumptions earlier in the year that it was a foregone conclusion.

What was by no means a foregone conclusion was the list of players released by Lancaster on Friday night. In more than one position it is thought that firm decisions were only finalised in the last 48 hours.

Either Wasps flanker James Haskell (right) or Calum Clark will don the No 7 jersey against the French

Three wings have been removed in one brutal cull; Chris Ashton, Semesa Rokoduguni and Marland Yarde. That leaves just three wide men with Jack Nowell and Anthony Watson as the leading pair and Jonny May, at this stage, as first reserve. It is a similar story at scrum-half, where the departure of Lee Dickson means that Ben Youngs, Danny Care and Richard Wigglesworth are the confirmed World Cup trio — if they stay fit.

Matt Mullan’s exit still leaves six props vying for five places. The other man to miss the cut is Bath centre Kyle Eastmond, while the uncapped Sam Burgess and Henry Slade remain.

Nick Easter has been retained despite missing the training fortnight in Denver with back trouble.

Despite a strong season for Saracens, Chris Ashton (right) has been cut from Lancaster's squad

After confirming the cuts which leave him with a squad of 39, Lancaster said: ‘Competition for places has been very intense. It has been difficult to narrow down the squad as everyone has contributed and given their all.

‘But what I have said to those guys who are not coming back in on Sunday is that the door is not closed by any means; they are only an injury away.