Six Nations 2016: Uncapped trio Jack Clifford, Ollie Devoto and Paul Hill set for debuts as Eddie Jones retains 25-man squad for Calcutta Cup
Uncapped trio Jack Clifford, Ollie Devoto and Paul Hill are set to make their international debuts in England’s Six Nations opener against Scotland on Saturday after being retained in head coach Eddie Jones’s 25-man squad last night.
Jones last night released eight players and retained a squad of 25 for the Calcutta Cup. The same 23 as were retained last week again made the cut, with the addition of Saracens lock Maro Itoje and Wasps centre Elliot Daly.
Itoje and Daly will head to Edinburgh as travelling reserves, while aside from Clifford, Devoto and Hill the remainder of the squad is made up of more familiar faces.
Itoje, who was watched by Jones on Saturday during his man of the match showing against Bath, could yet make the matchday squad should Northampton lock Courtney Lawes fail to recover from a hamstring injury.
England assistant coach Steve Borthwick said: “Courtney was working well with the physios and hopefully he’ll be fit and healthy for Saturday.”
England retained squad
Forwards: Dan Cole, Jack Clifford, Jamie George, Dylan Hartley, James Haskell, Paul Hill, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola
Backs: Mike Brown, Danny Care, Ollie Devoto, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Alex Goode, Jonathan Joseph, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Ben Youngs
Travelling reserves: Maro Itoje, Elliot Daly