James Simpson-Daniel is another important emerging talent for England who narrowly missed selection to the final 30 for the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He celebrated his first Championship start with a try in the 2003 RBS 6 Nations match against Italy (one of his favourite rugby moments).

He had previously won two successive caps in the previous autumn before missing the South Africa game through glandular fever. He burst on to the Gloucester and England scene late in 2002 against New Zealand and made a magnificent try scoring debut - in direct opposition to Jonah Lomu – in a non capped England XV against the Barbarians in Twickenham back in May of that year.

His hat trick of tries against Bath in the 2002 Zurich Premiership prompted a £2,000 donation to charity from the sponsors. One of his scores was the Premiership 'Try of the
Season'. He toured Chile with the England Under 19s and shared in England's Sevens success in Hong Kong. James made his England A debut as a centre in the 78-6 win over Scotland in March 2003, having suffered the disappointment of missing the senior tour to Argentina the previous summer through injury. Injuries again dogged a promising
career till he finally returned, playing full back in the 2004 RBS 6 Nations when he came off the bench against Ireland.