Eddie Jones has named the England line-up to take on Italy at Twickenham on Sunday.
There are four changes to the starting XV that beat Wales at Principality Stadium in round two of the Championship. In the back line Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors) gets his first start in an England shirt at outside-centre. Danny Care (Harlequins) is named at scrum-half and Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) returns to the right wing. In the scrum James Haskell (Wasps) is named at flanker.
On the bench Mako Vunipola (Saracens) returns to an England match-day 23 for the first time this year having recovered from a knee injury. The loose-head prop is included alongside Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) and Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) who will all finish the game.
“We have had a good two-week preparation for Italy and we’re ready to go,” said England head coach Jones.
“We trained very well in the city last week and this week the training has been very impressive. The boys are really on song, we have had great competition for places, and we’ve picked a very strong 23 to play against Italy.
“Selection was tough. Ben Te’o at 13 gives us another way of playing the game and we are excited about seeing him, George Ford and Owen Farrell play together in the midfield.
“Ben Youngs has been outstanding for us at number nine, but Danny Care gets the starting jersey this week. For the first half he’ll give us a lot of speed and running at the base of the ruck as well as the scrum. Ben will then come on and finish the game.
“Tom Wood has been great for us at seven, and Jack Clifford did well against Wales but James Haskell has the starting role on Sunday; he has come back to a much better level of fitness and we are sure his explosive actions will help us in the first part of the game.
“It is an important Test match for us and our only consideration is to play well. Italy have a proud record in Test rugby, they beat South Africa in November, and we will not underestimate them.
“I know the Twickenham crowd will give Owen Farrell a big cheer. To reach 50 caps at such a young age is a fine achievement. The one thing I know about Owen is that his next 50 are going to be more impressive than his first.”
England
15. Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins, 57 caps)
14. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 24 caps)
13. Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, 5 caps)
12. Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens, 49 caps)
11. Elliot Daly (Wasps, 10 caps)
10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 32 caps)
9. Danny Care (Harlequins, 68 caps)
1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 48 caps)
2. Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints, 81 caps)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 71 caps)
4. Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 39 caps)
5. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 55 caps)
6. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 9 caps)
7. James Haskell (Wasps, 72 caps)
8. Nathan Hughes (Wasps, 5 caps)
Replacements
16. Jamie George (Saracens, 14 caps)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 39 caps)
18. Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 5 caps)
19. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 47 caps)
20. Jack Clifford (Harlequins, 9 caps)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 67 caps)
22. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
23. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 20 caps)
What do you make of this line-up?
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
This – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISVfYr9Wyew – is what I think about this centre partnership. Even with Campagnaro in the side, Italy are going to faced with brutal defence from these two. Add in Haskell to that and I can’t see Italy threatening with ball in hand. If that means they have to resort to a kicking game, this back tree should punish them. Massive Nowell fan myself, but I suppose this is the ideal sort of game for May. Delighted to see Haskell and Care starting – looking forward to seeing a lot of clean ball and quick ball.
This – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISVfYr9Wyew – is what I think about this centre partnership. Even with Campagnaro in the side, Italy are going to faced with brutal defence from these two. Add in Haskell to that and I can’t see Italy threatening with ball in hand. If that means they have to resort to a kicking game, this back three should punish them. Massive Nowell fan myself, but I suppose this is the ideal sort of game for May. Delighted to see Haskell and Care starting – looking forward to seeing a lot of clean ball and quick ball.
Interesting Watson has been left out. I guess he’s not deemed fit enough yet, but going as a reserve?
I can only imagine T’eo is going to bust some big holes in which ever channel he runs down, and we’ll see Daly doing that roaming thing that Nowell does.
Maybe we’ll see Slade get some decent game time in the second half?
It will be interesting to see what Eddie does with the centre combinations when Slade comes on. I would assume Ford will go off and they all shift in one, allowing Slade to slot in at 13 outside T’eo.
I’m also wondering if we will see Daly move to 15 when Nowell comes on?
That as a finishing back line would be really interesting. I can see Slade as a Conrad Smith-esque 13 outside of T’eo or Manu.
My thoughts exactly JK!
Was hoping for a bit more experimentation in the backs but fair enough. Nice to see Slade included, bit disappointed Watson hasn’t made it though.
Although I would have liked to have seen George given a start I can understand why he isn’t.
Also seems a shame not to give someone else a shot in the 15 shirt. If Brown can’t make more than the yards it takes to reach the defensive line against Italy then I will be very disappointed. I’m hoping that he at least tries to get the ball past the defensive line, even if he doesn’t.
On the changes that have been made I’m happy to see Haskell and Care get a start. Also happy to see Itoje staying at 6 with Haskell at 7 as I think that will be a better balance.
Really looking forward to see what Ford can do with some passes that go to his hands and not the floor or his head, and how him and Faz get T’eo into the game.
Good to see a strong attack minded side as we need to go for the bonus point no question.
The only change I would like to see personally is trying somebody else at fullback be it Nowell, Daly or Watson as I am sick of Mike Brown’s catch, run, get tackled, repeat philosophy, lets face it yes he makes yards but he never breaks the tackle and the opposition always knows whats coming.
Amen to that Mr B. Brown has been riding his predictable luck for a while now. Compared to the likes of Spedding, Hogg and Kearney his all round play is quite poor. Being sturdy in defence and having a big left boot is not enough for an international full back when your team want to be the best in the world.
It depends what you want from a full-back. Brown won’t score tries like Hogg has so far this Six Nations, but equally could you imagine him missing Hogg’s “tackle” on Fickou for France’s try? His one-on-one tacking after a line-break and his work under the high ball are both outstanding – it’s just a shame that he no longer seems capable of making the breaks that were his calling card a couple of years ago. Will be surprised if he’s part of the England set-up after the Six Nations.
With players like Daly, May, Nowell and Watson in the team who all have the ability to play 15 if needed I would definitely start promoting one of them for the 15 shirt now.
I don’t think Brown has been anywhere near the level he was before his concussion problems.
Sorry to see Hartley still starting. Was hoping to see George get a chance to show how much better he is. Agree that Brown is predictable, but he is much more so for England than he is for Quins and I can’t help feeling that he is playing to orders. I think Haskell starting in the back row will make a big difference to the way Itoje plays, and would expect to see him making more turnovers than he has been.
interesting to see Teo starting at OC, I reckon we’ll see Daly and May coming off their wings a lot looking for the offload once Teo breaks the tackle
All the calls to break the axis and spine of the team are ridiculous. John Schmidt wasn’t the best hooker when SA won the world cup, but he was the best captain…..Also, Jones has publically backed Ford, time and time again. Don’t tinker with the spine when a team is successful. Teo though – good call, and the havoc his offloads can cause in that channel with the lines Daly cuts in support has the potential to be amazing
Interesting team. I think Teo will take the ball from Ford quite often, then quick ball out to Farrell distributing to the back 3. This definitely brings an added dimension. But again, a more attacking full back like Watson would be the icing.