ENGLAND coach Eddie Jones has added Bath centre Jonathan Joseph to his squad ahead of next week’s Six Nations opener against Ireland.

Joseph was part of a 36-player group that departed for a training camp in Portugal on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old returned to action for his club in Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup game against Toulouse after nine months out because of a foot injury.

Joseph’s lay-off meant he missed England’s tour to South Africa last summer and the autumn Tests.

Joseph, who has won 40 caps and scored 17 Test tries, last featured for England against Ireland in the Six Nations 10 months ago.

He played 50 minutes of the Toulouse match as Bath completed their Champions Cup campaign with a narrow 20-17 defeat in France.

The RFU said: “Jonathan Joseph has been added to the squad, having proved his fitness at the weekend playing for his club.”

Meanwhile, Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder was full of praise for his players after they fought back from 17-3 down at half-time to give Toulouse a few late jitters on Sunday.

The French side’s victory booked a quarter-final trip to last season’s finalists Racing 92, but there were some nervous moments at the death as Semesa Rokoduguni and Zach Mercer scored deep in the second half.

The Toulouse tries came from Joe Tekori and Antoine Dupont, with Zack Holmes kicking two conversions and a penalty and Thomas Ramos also landing a late penalty.

Blackadder said: “I’m really proud of our guys.

“I thought we created so many opportunities – I know we’ll rue the ones we didn’t take. We kept playing; we were tough; we stayed in the fight – and we’re probably disappointed to come away with the loss.

“I think everyone who watched could see that we were capable of winning that game.”