England open their 2021 Six Nations campaign by hosting Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday (4.30pm kick off). Head coach Eddie Jones has included Worcester centre Ollie Lawrence and Newcastle back-row Mark Wilson in his starting XV, with captain Owen Farrell starting at 10.
Thursday 4 February 2021 15:51, UK
Mark Wilson and Ollie Lawrence will start for England as they begin the defence of their Six Nations title against Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday.
Newcastle back-row Wilson replaces the injured Sam Underhill and will pick up his first Test cap since March 2020 in what will be just his second Six Nations start since March 2019.
Worcester centre Lawrence has three caps to date, having made his Test debut against Italy in October in a rearranged Six Nations clash.
His selection at inside centre, alongside Exeter's Henry Slade, sees captain Owen Farrell begin at 10 and George Ford on the bench.
In the front row, Bath tighthead Will Stuart starts a Test for just the second time in his international career in place of the suspended Kyle Sinckler, while Leicester's Ellis Genge is at loosehead in the absences of Mako Vunipola (injured) and Joe Marler (personal reasons).
"We're really looking forward to this game and getting the Guinness Six Nations back under way. It's even more special to be taking part in a 150th anniversary game, it will be a good occasion," Jones said on Thursday.
"It was difficult to pick the 23 players. We've had a really good week of training, it's been very competitive but I've gone with what I feel is the strongest 23 for this week.
"The Six Nations is a short tournament, it's a real sprint so we'll need to be on the front foot straight away. We know Scotland will be raring to go - but so will we."
Elsewhere in the side, Exeter Chiefs lock Jonny Hill partners Maro Itoje in the second row, with Wasps' Joe Launchbury out injured and Northampton's Courtney Lawes returning to the bench from injury.
Within the back three, the rest of the back row and at scrum-half there are familiar names as Elliot Daly starts at full-back, Anthony Watson and Jonny May on the wings, Tom Curry and Billy Vunipola at openside flanker and No 8 respectively, and Ben Youngs at nine.
Exeter duo Luke Cowan-Dickie and Harry Williams are on the bench as hooker and tighthead cover respectively, while Bath loosehead Beno Obano should earn his first cap off the bench.
Bristol's Ben Earl provides back-row cover, with club team-mate Max Malins in the No 23 shirt and Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson completing the squad.
England: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Lawrence 11 Jonny May, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Mark Wilson, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Courtney Lawes, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Dan Robson, 22 George Ford, 23 Max Malins.
