Ben Te'o has been handed only his second start for England after he was named at outside-centre to face Italy on Sunday. Te'o has not played at all since October due to an ankle injury but Eddie Jones has put him straight into his starting XV for England's Six Nations opener.
Te'o also started 12 months ago against Italy, as well as in the first British & Irish Lions Test, but he suffered an ankle injury when playing for Worcester against Brive nearly four months ago. Last week he revealed that he funded a six-week rehab programme in Australia at the end of last year to ensure he was fighting fit for the Six Nations.
It will be a first England appearance in 12 months for Te’o, who came off the bench in the Six Nations defeat by Ireland, only to depart soon after with a head injury. Henry Slade was named at outside-centre for England’s last match of their November series against a Samoa but he has a shoulder injury.
Jonathan Joseph, meanwhile, is on the bench. “We’ve decided to give Ben Te’o a run at 13. [Jonathan Joseph] is unlucky not to start but will play a significant role as a finisher,” said Jones.
Mike Brown is named at full-back after recovering from an injury with Anthony Watson and Jonny May on the wings – Jack Nowell is on the bench, having returned from an ankle injury ahead of schedule. George Ford and Owen Farrell resume their 10-12 axis after the latter was rested against Samoa while Jones has resisted the temptation to hand Danny Care a start, restoring Ben Youngs at scrum-half.
In the pack, Sam Simmonds continues at No8, winning his fourth cap, while Chris Robshaw is again at openside flanker with Courtney Lawes named at blindside. Joe Lanchbury and Maro Itoje are the locks while Mako Vunipola, the captain Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole comprise the front-row.
Alec Hepburn is set to make his debut off the bench having been named there alongside his Exeter team-mate Harry Williams, while George Kruis, Jamie George and Sam Underhill are also among the replacements.
“We’ve got a fantastic squad that have all prepared really well,” added Jones. “We had a terrific week in Portugal and guys competing for spots, so it’s been difficult. The great thing about our team is that no one is a certainty. Some players have got more credit than others.”
England are seeking to become the first team to win three successive outright Championship titles and enter the tournament as favourites. – Guardian service
ENGLAND: M Brown (Harlequins); A Watson (Bath), B Te'o (Worcester), O Farrell (Saracens), J May (Leicester); G Ford (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); M Vunipola (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), J Launchbury (Wasps), M Itoje (Saracens), C Lawes (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins), S Simmonds (Exeter).
Replacements: J George (Saracens), A Hepburn (Exeter), H Williams (Exeter), G Kruis (Saracens), S Underhill (Bath), D Care (Harlequins), J Joseph (Bath), J Nowell (Exeter).
