Thursday 7 March 2019 13:45, UK
Eddie Jones has made five changes to England's starting line-up for Saturday's Six Nations game against Italy at Twickenham, with Ben Te'o, Joe Cokanasiga, Ellis Genge, Joe Launchbury and Brad Shields all coming into the side.
Te'o is named at inside centre, with Manu Tuilagi switching to outside centre in place of Henry Slade, who drops to the bench.
Bath star Cokanasiga will win his fourth England cap on the right wing in place of Jack Nowell, who drops out of the match-day squad.
Genge will start at loose head prop with Ben Moon shifting to the bench.
Launchbury comes into the side in the second row in place of the injured Courtney Lawes, who has a calf strain, while Brad Shields starts at No 6 in place on Mark Wilson, who is named among the replacements.
Dan Cole and Nathan Hughes are both named on the bench after not being involved in England's defeat to Wales.
Jones said: "We have had a good preparation ahead of Italy with a great week in Oxford where we competed against Georgia for two days.
"Players have had a good break and have come back into camp re-energised and refocused for what is an important game for us.
"Italy is a bit of an unknown quantity but when Conor allows them to play rugby they play well. They have played terrific games in the Six Nations. They are fitter, physically stay in the contest a lot longer and they are quite unpredictable in the way they attack.
"Italy is a bit of an unknown quantity but when Conor allows them to play rugby they play well. They have played terrific games in the Six Nations."
"We expect Italy to throw the ball around a bit so we are going to have to defend very well against their unpredictability and when we have got the ball, we have to use it wisely."
On returning to Twickenham, Jones said: "We are looking forward to getting back to Twickenham. We haven't played there since the France game so it will be nice to play in front of our home crowd."
England: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Ben Te'o, 11 Jonny May, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 George Kruis, 6 Brad Shields, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Ben Moon, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Nathan Hughes, 20 Mark Wilson, 21 Dan Robson, 22 George Ford, 23 Henry Slade.
