England have damaged up their contentious playmaking axis of Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell as a part of a revamped midfield chosen for Sunday’s Six Nations conflict with Italy.
Having began the final eight Tests collectively, Smith has been demoted to the bench to accommodate Owen Farrell’s choice at fly-half as an alternative of inside centre.
Former England boss Eddie Jones hoped the inventive alliance would blossom in time for the World Cup and Steve Borthwick retained the duo for his first recreation in cost in opposition to Scotland final Saturday, however they’ve fired solely sporadically as a partnership.
Borthwick accomplished a major overhaul of the midfield by changing Joe Marchant with Henry Slade at exterior centre whereas Ollie Lawrence fills the emptiness at 12.
Slade has recovered from the hip harm that compelled him to sit down out the 29-23 Calcutta Cup defeat in spherical one whereas the onerous operating Lawrence is promoted off the bench.
Only one change has been made to the pack with turnover specialist Jack Willis changing Ben Curry at openside flanker for his first begin since struggling a horrific knee harm in the identical fixture two years in the past.
Henry Arundell is poised to win his fourth cap after being named on the bench the place he’ll present again three cowl, the ankle harm that compelled him to overlook the autumn now totally healed.
“We welcome an exciting and in-form Italy team to Twickenham on. We recognise and respect the very real threat they pose and we are preparing accordingly,” Borthwick mentioned.
“Notwithstanding the frustration of final weekend’s Calcutta Cup end result, we all know that in a really quick house of time optimistic steps have been taken in the direction of the style and magnificence during which we need to play our rugby.
“We are at the start of what is a completely new cycle of English rugby. The implementation of new systems does take time and the squad is showing themselves to be hungry to deliver the sort of performance that we know they are capable of.
“From the squad I’ve chosen a group for Sunday’s fixture that I imagine is greatest positioned to satisfy the particular challenges that Italy will convey.
“It is a selection of players whose form, individual strengths and combined qualities suit the way we want to play against Italy, in what we anticipate will be another hard-fought and entertaining spectacle.”
England beginning line-up to face Italy
15. Freddie Steward; 14. Max Malins, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Ollie Lawrence, 11. Ollie Hassell-Collins; 10. Owen Farrell (capt), 9. Jack van Poortvliet; 1. Ellis Genge, 2. Jamie George, 3. Kyle Sinckler; 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Ollie Chessum; 6. Lewis Ludlam, 7. Jack Willis, 8. Alex Dombrandt
Replacements: 16. Jack Walker, 17. Mako Vunipola, 18. Dan Cole, 19. Nick Isiekwe, 20. Ben Earl, 21. Alex Mitchell, 22. Marcus Smith, 23. Henry Arundell