Eddie Jones has named the England team to take on Ireland in the final round of the Six Nations this weekend.
Captain Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) returns after recovering from injury with tighthead prop Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins) making his first start of the campaign.
Saracens lock George Kruis will partner Maro Itoje (Saracens) in the second row while James Haskell (Wasps) will start at openside flanker with Chris Robshaw (Harlequins) moving to the blindside.
Saracens club mates Richard Wigglesworth and Owen Farrell will start as the halfback pairing. Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors) moves to inside centre with Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby) recalled at outside centre.
Don Armand (Exeter Chiefs) is named as a finisher in what is otherwise an experienced bench for England.
Head coach Eddie Jones said: “We can’t wait to get back to Twickenham and play there. We have had a couple of tough games on the road and to get back and play in front of our 24th man will be exciting for the players and they will be looking forward to putting in a good performance.
“Ireland is a very good team. We have seen in every game the physical contest has been quite enormous so we have to meet that physical challenge and then play smart tactically.”
Starting 15
15 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby 32 caps)
14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers 33 caps)
13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby 39 caps)
12 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors 12 caps)
11 Elliot Daly (Wasps 17 caps)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens 57 caps)
9 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens 30 caps)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens 48 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints 92 caps)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins 9 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens 18 caps)
5 George Kruis (Saracens 24 caps)
6 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins 63 caps)
7 James Haskell (Wasps 76 caps)
8 Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs 6 caps)
Finishers
16 Jamie George (Saracens 24 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins 55 caps)
18 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers 81 caps)
19 Joe Launchbury (Wasps 51 caps)
20 Don Armand (Exeter Chiefs 1 cap)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins 80 caps)
22 George Ford (Leicester Tigers 44 caps)
23 Mike Brown (Harlequins 68 caps)
What do you think of the lineup? Do you think England will spoil the St Patrick’s Day party?
Cole, Launchbury, Care, Ford all dropped. Robshaw back to 6, Haskell to 7, Farrell to 10.
I think a few people have been asking for all of this!
Yes and no… Ford and Cole have been so out of form it makes sense – but surprised by Launchbury for Kruis. Kruis has hardly been in amazing form himself! Thought Itoje may have been more at risk.
Care/Wigglesworth is reflective of playing to their strengths, and makes sense from that standpoint, but are they our two best nines available?
Backrow looks like the best available given injuries. Haskell will need to play a blinder though.
Fingers and toes all crossed.
Time for some experiences without nothing to win.
Thats mixed it up a bit.
Some welcome changes.
Farrell to run the game from 10 with 2 proper centres.
A back row comprised of back row forwards.
Sinckler gets an overdue start.
Unfortunately we’re stuck with Wiggy, Haskell and Hartley for the time being.
Launchbury is hard done by.
The good outweighs the bad with some better balance in the midfield and back row being big positives.
I’d have liked to see…
Marler switched with MV
Slade over JJ
George over Hartley and LCD on the bench
Launchbury switched with Itoje
Armand switched with either Simmonds or preferably Haskell
At fullback Watson has not looked the business so far. He’s bound to get a shedload of garryowens heading his way. If he doesn’t shine then it’s back to the wing with him.
I won’t mention scrum halves as it’s annoying
not happy.. Mike Brown should be playing ,not Watson…even at 32 he can keep up the pace, and has more experience, Big mistake in my eyes
Very happy with that. Ok Wiggy really shouldn’t be there but as he is having him start is the more sensible option. I think Kruis has actually been ok when he’s played and Lawes really has needed a complete rest. Launchbury off the bench is a really strong option. We have lacked carrying and Haskell will bring that and if we can’t compete at breakdowns we need someone who can smash them. Haskell fits the bill as far as I’m concerned.
Lawes is injured for the rest of the season Donut
I can’t complain too much would like Armand to have started but the bench is progress of sorts.
I’m not quite sure why Launchbury has been dropped for Kruis. But if starting with Kruis, Itoje, Wiggy and Farrell I would have started George. Having that club continuity between 2,4,5,9 and 10 would be massively beneficial.
However Kruis, Itoje, Robshaw and Haskell were the starting 4-7 during the Aus tour when we outplayed Pocock, Hooper and Fardy over the ball. Maybe EJ is hoping they all suddenly find that form and don’t miss Vunipola!!
Daly is our best 13.Put him there Brown at 15given it’s Ireland Watson on the wing.Robson should have been given a chance at 9.
Haskell is a 61/2 .Put him at 8 Simmons at 7.
What’s Launchbury done wrong?Itoje the less impressive.As others say he’s got this half right but I do not expect us to win.Ireland are a very good team we have plateaud and the burning desire to win that absolute commitment is not there.It is not a happy upbeat camp and the players will be very happy to leave Pennyhill on Sunday.EJ needs to look at his relationship with the players.Its not good
The Itoje-Kruis combination is good to see. Can’t help but think them & Launchbury-Lawes are two good combinations of locks and shouldn’t really be mixed (I know that’s not how it works). Kruis in takes the pressure off Itoje at the line out and he will hopefully be able to get back to his best (he was much better against France). It’s the same pack apart from Billy V and Cole (looking past it for England) that won the grand slam & went 3-0 down under so hopefully we can get some front foot ball. Wiggy starting does make sense, Youngs being out has confirmed that Care is best suited coming off the bench for England. Looks like Brown may well have lost his place at 15 now – surely if he was to come back into the side it would’ve been against a very good kicking side in Ireland. Long term I’d like to see Daly at 15 (his skills suit this position best and he shouldn’t be wasted out wide) with Nowell and Watson on the wings. Good change up of players though and looking forward to England hopefully turning things around.
Not exactly the team I had hoped for but, much closer than I really expected. I’m hoping that Sinckler, Haskell and Kruis all feel they have something to prove!!!
And Hartley needs to play a blinder because Best has lived up to his name as far as the Six Nations hookers go.
The kindest thing that can be said about this selection is that it smacks of sticking plaster,the less charitable would describe it as a complete Horlicks!
The last two results are a damning indictment on the standard of English forward play-basically the inability to provide fast clean ball for the backs to work with.
England by this selection are obviously going to play a game of attrition with incisive attack play put on the back burner.One can only hope that the ball gets an injection of Dramamine to combat the effects of air sickness so often is it going to be launched into the air and I have sympathy for the crowd who are going to come away like nodding donkeys so often are they going to be looking up and down.
Some serious reevaluation needs to take place starting on the summer tour-For a start all the forwards who went on the lions tour need to be told to take a complete rest this summer.
Secondly there arequestion marks over several players as to whether they will be fit for purpose come the World cup.Back row and Scrum half are areas that need to be addressed.
The one thing that is beyond the power of the coach is the chronic lack of leadership on the pitch.,unfortunately we cant reincarnate Jonno or Lol.
Can I ask a genuine question? Last year ireland lose at murrayfield and while a shock this was accepted as “irelaid finding form” and “Scotland are getting strong at home”.
Why aren’t the same views applied to England? I get that it’s a bit different we lost two in a row, performances have been bad etc.
But why is it a travesty, need for revaluation etc for England?
“a game of attrition with incisive attack play put on the back burner.One can only hope that the ball gets an injection of Dramamine to combat the effects of air sickness so often is it going to be launched into the air and I have sympathy for the crowd who are going to come away like nodding donkeys”
It works for Ireland!
Good question, because they lost to Wales as well.
I think that much of the coverage had been… excessively negative.
On the other hand, we are now staring at 3 on the trot. And England have not looked good for some time. I am of the steve Hanson and Rob Baxter school that the performance is important and then the results will take care of themselves.
Part of it must be the expectation built up by the run of 20+ wins.
Surely for a kicking game you would start Brown?
Backrow looks weak. Ireland by 10. At least a loss will force some changes.
I like the look of this side, the full 23. This is a good squad to play the full 80 like its minute 1 and compete around the park. The game plan has to be carry it up, recycle, release the backs and repeat. We have to play at full speed and force Ireland to defend, it’s no good trying to defend against them and look for a break away. The only issue(s) would be either fatigue or attitude that would stop this squad being competitive man for man
Launchbury has been just about our best forward all season and definitely doesn’t deserve to get dropped. Pleased to see Farrell at 10, but think Care is a far better 9 than Wigglesworth and should continue to start. An important game for Haskell to try to prove that he still has a future. I think this front row will get marmalised in the tight. Would have started with Marler LCD and Williams, but unlike most I don’t think Cole is finished, just exhausted. George also looks knackered. Would rather have Brown than Watson. Ireland to win by 12.
Just seen polledri is starting for Italy, thought he could have been a real good addition for England… Obvs EJ doesn’t fancy him or he didn’t fancy England