Coach Kingsley Jones has dropped English-based stars Vladislav Korshunov, wing Vasily Artemyev and lock Andrei Ostrikov from the Russia squad to face Portugal in the European Nations Cup this weekend.

Russian player of the year Victor Gresev is the only England-based player selected for Saturday's match in Lisbon. Gresev and Korshunov made their debut for Wasps as substitutes in a 57-10 Premiership defeat to Northampton last weekend.

Jones told RIA Novosti last month that he was keen to try out new players in the Nations Cup while trying to rebuild the squad for the 2015 World Cup.

“Victor Gresev to join up with Russian squad in Sochi this week after impressive debut for Wasps Rugby this weekend,” the federation said on an official Twitter feed.

Of Korshunov, Northampton's Artemyev and Sale Sharks' Ostrikov, the federation said: “They won’t be [in the squad]. The decision was taken not to call them up."

The side will be captained by scrum-half Alexander Yanyushkin.

Gresev, widely considered to have been Russia's top player at their debut World Cup in New Zealand last year, said his best form is yet to come at Wasps.

“I’m not satisfied with how I played,” Gresev told rurugby.ru on Sunday. “I know I can play a lot better. In any case, it shows I’ve had a big break from playing.”

Russia currently sits fourth in its division in the 2010-12 European Nations Cup after five of ten games.