England will throw Maro Itoje, Tom Curry and Henry Pollock at Wales from the bench in Saturday’s first-round Six Nations clash at Twickenham, while there is a first start since the 2023 World Cup for flying wing Henry Arundell.
England’s “bomb squad” will not quite have the same firepower as during their four wins out of four in November’s autumn Tests, due to the absence of three injured props in Fin Baxter, Will Stuart and Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
But Itoje’s presence among the replacements, after the England captain recently took time out to mourn the passing of his mother, makes the home bench a daunting prospect for a Wales team on a wretched run of form.
England are many pundits’ favourites to win the Six Nations as they are on a run of 11 Test wins, but they are coping with several injuries.
First-choice wing Tom Roebuck hasn’t played since November, due to a broken toe, and is not risked now despite a return to training.
So the 23-year-old Arundell steps up after making one substitute Test appearance since his return this season from club rugby in France.
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It sets up a spectacular battle of the speedsters if Wales pick their flyer Louis Rees-Zammit opposite Arundell.
England’s head coach Steve Borthwick has said he is ready to commit to using Tommy Freeman at outside centre, and the Northampton Saint gets the nod in a centre pairing with club colleague Fraser Dingwall – as they did for England against Wales in last year’s Six Nations, and Australia in November.
It’s a blow to fans of the rapidly progressing Max Ojomoh of Bath, and Gloucester’s more statuesque No 12 Seb Atkinson, but it shows how inside centre is a new area of strength for England.
England team to face Wales
Saturday 7 February, 4.40pm kick-off
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 41 caps) 14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs, 13 caps) 13. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 22 caps) 12. Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, 7 caps) 11. Henry Arundell (Bath Rugby, 11 caps) 10. George Ford (Sale Sharks, 105 caps) – vice-captain 9. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 27 caps) 1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 75 caps) – vice-captain 2. Jamie George (Saracens, 105 caps) – captain 3. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps) 4. Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 14 caps) 5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 30 caps) 6. Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby, 7 caps) 7. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 45 caps) 8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 46 caps)Replacements
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 53 caps) 17. Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 10 caps) 18. Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints, 3 caps) 19. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 97 caps) 20. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 65 caps) 21. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints, 5 caps) 22. Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby, 14 caps) 23. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 46 caps)Hence then, the article about england place maro itoje in bomb squad for six nations opener against wales was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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