England name team to face Ireland

England men’s head coach Eddie Jones has named his 23-man squad to play Ireland in the third round of the Guinness Six Nations at Twickenham Stadium.

In the front row Joe Marler, Jamie George and Kyle Sinckler are named with George Kruis and Maro Itoje in partnership in the second row.

Courtney Lawes is named at blind-side flanker with Sam Underhill at openside and Tom Curry at number 8.

Ben Youngs starts at scrumhalf with Willi Heinz named as a finisher. George Ford and captain Owen Farrell will play flyhalf and inside centre. Manu Tuilagi is named at outside centre, returning to the side after missing the Scotland match through injury.

Elliot Daly is selected at fullback with Jonathan Joseph, who will win his 50th cap this weekend, and Jonny May on the wings.

Charlie Ewels is named as a finisher alongside hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, props Ellis Genge and Will Stuart and lock Joe Launchbury. Ben Earl, who made his England debut against Scotland is also named in the match day 23, as is Henry Slade who returns from injury.

Jones said: “We’ve had a really good training week with Thursday probably our best session of the Guinness Six Nations.

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“Ireland are a very good team, extremely well-coached. They are a team we respect a lot. They will bring their usual physicality and under Andy Farrell they’ve opened up their game a little bit.

“They are a tactically smart team. Murray and Sexton, who have played 170 Tests between them, at nine and 10 will manage the game well. We’ve got to make sure we match their physicality and their emotion on the weekend.

“We trained at Twickenham Stadium in front of 10,000 fans last Friday and we can’t wait to get back out there in front of 80,000 people on Sunday.”

England starting XV

15 Elliot Daly (Saracens, 41 caps)
14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 54 caps)
13 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 41 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 81 caps) C
11 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 49 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 67 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 97 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 69 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens, 47 caps)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 33 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 36 caps)
5 George Kruis (Saracens, 43 caps)
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 83 caps)
7 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 17 caps)
8 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 21 caps)

Finishers
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 22 caps)
17 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 16 caps)
18 Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 1 cap)
19 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 63 caps)
20 Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 13 caps)
21 Ben Earl (Saracens, 1 cap)
22 Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby, 11 caps)
23 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 27 caps)