England head coach Eddie Jones has announced his team to face Italy in the Six Nations on Sunday, with a response needed following their opening defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield last weekend. Marcus Smith’s 17 points had put England in a winning position before the match turned on Luke Cowan-Dickie’s yellow card and resulting penalty try, and it means Jones and his team are already playing catch-up as they look to bounce back with a victory in Rome.
Jones makes six changes, and Ben Youngs will have to equal Jason Leonard’s England cap record off the bench after being demoted for Sunday’s Six Nations clash. Harry Randall is the preferred starter at scrum-half with Youngs included among the replacements as he chases Leonard’s milestone of 114 England appearances. It is one of six personnel changes following the 20-17 Calcutta Cup defeat by Scotland, with Eddie Jones also making two positional switches.
Elsewhere, Johnny Sexton has been ruled out of Ireland’s trip to France in Saturday’s headline fixture, in what was head coach Andy Farrell’s only change from his side’s opening win over Wales. Scotland flanker Jamie Ritchie has been ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations with a hamstring injury as Gregor Townsend named his team for the visit to Cardiff. Follow for latest Six Nations news as Jones names his England team:
