Eddie Jones like 90s band Embrace has decided “Coming Back To What You Know†is the way to go after the tuning Scotland inflicted in round one. Most reactions to this – like those to that song – are to wish it wasn’t that way as many want to see something new that isn’t a long, borderline insufferable dirge featuring people with questionable haircuts. But the Aussie is not for turning, and he will point to the facts that this team reached a World Cup final and won the Six Nations in the last eighteen months and that one bad game isn’t a reason to rip up what his England are about.
George Ford is back at 10, which means that Jones’s main love interest and captain Owen Farrell shifts to 12 and Olly Lawrence who had an awful time through little fault of his own last week is out completely. Elliot Daly remains at fullback despite the form and class of Max Malins and and there’s a new starting back row of Lawes, Curry and Billy Vunipola in the continued absence of the ever more priceless Sam Underhill. Billy’s brother Mako returns to the front row.
Italy have lost Marco Zanon to injury, bringing a very creative midfield of Brex and Canna together to hopefully steady the nerves of the stupendously talented but often equally jittery Paolo Garbisi at out-half.
England: Elliot Daly; Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Owen Farrell (captain), Jonny May; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Mako Vunipola, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Jonny Hill, Courtney Lawes, Tom Curry, Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: Jamie George, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Charlie Ewels, Ben Earl, Jack Willis, Dan Robson, Max Malins.
Italy: Jacopo Trulla; Luca Sperandio, Juan Ignacio Brex, Carlo Canna, Monatanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Andrea Lovotti, Luca Bigi (captain), Marco Riccioni, Marco Lazzaroni, David Sisi, Sebastian Negri, Johan Meyer, Michele Lamaro.
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Danilo Fischetti, Giosuè Zilocchi, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Guglielmo Palazzani, Tommaso Allan, Federico Mori.
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