Wednesday 8 March 2017 21:10, UK
England forwards coach Steve Borthwick says the inclusion of Billy Vunipola in a leaked team for the Six Nations clash with Scotland is "not significant".
A whiteboard on display during England's training session on Tuesday appeared to show the side for the game at Twickenham on Saturday, which included Saracens No 8 Vunipola.
The 24-year-old returned to action against Newcastle Falcons in the Aviva Premiership on Sunday, having been out of action since suffering a knee injury in England's November clash against Argentina.
Vunipola has been retained in the match-day 23 for the Calcutta Cup, but Borthwick refused to confirm whether he would start - and insists England have not given their opponents an advantage.
"It's not significant," said Borthwick. "In training, and if you've watched us train, we're constantly interchanging and swapping players, scenarios, variations of things, opposition, so it was just part of what we were trying to do yesterday.
"I think it's not significant. The players trained incredibly hard and as coaches we're always looking at different combinations and watching from a selection point of view, working on all our tactics for the weekend.
"He [Vunipola] trained well yesterday, and I think having Billy and Nathan Hughes as No 8s are both powerful ball carriers, it's good for us.
"We've got competition for places throughout the team.
"We've got options, we've got flexibility, as ever with international rugby it's a 23-man effort, you constantly need all the players for 80 minutes at the top of their game and that's what we are preparing for.
"Whatever the starting team is, whoever our finishers are, and our finishers have always done a fantastic job, we know international rugby is 80 minutes and it takes 23 players to win the game.
"So we prepare every player as thoroughly as we can to make sure the squad is in the best shape possible come matchday."
England have so far beaten France and Italy at Twickenham, either side of a crucial away victory over Wales in Cardiff and remain on course for a second consecutive Grand Slam.
They have yet to lose under head coach Eddie Jones and are on a 17-game winning run heading into the clash with Scotland, who are still in the title mix having beaten Ireland and Wales in Murrayfield either side of defeat in Paris.
