Powerful young winger Henry Arundell will make his first test start for England against Ireland in their Six Nations finale in Dublin on Saturday, Manu Tuilagi returns and Owen Farrell reclaims the flyhalf slot in the team named on Thursday.
Arundell, 20, who has six caps as a replacement, comes in on the left wing for Max Malins, who has scored two tries in 18 internationals but drops out of the matchday squad. Anthony Watson switches to the right wing.
Arundell made one of the more memorable international debuts when he came off the bench to blast through two Australian defenders and score a fantastic try with his first touch in Perth last year.
The London Irish player missed England’s autumn series with a foot injury that required surgery but has been a regular replacement in the Six Nations and scored in the victory over Italy having earned rave reviews on his training performances from his teammates.
Centre Tuilagi, who has won all six of his games against Ireland, makes his first appearance of the championship in place of the injured Ollie Lawrence having served a ban for a red card received playing for Sale.
Farrell replaces Marcus Smith, who drops to the bench. That gives England the same Farrell-Tuilagi-Henry Slade combination that last started in the 2019 World Cup quarterfinal victory over Australia as they seek to regain pride after the record 53-10 home defeat by France last week.
Despite being overwhelmed at the breakdown in that game, coach Steve Borthwick has kept faith with his pack, the only change being Dave Ribbans replacing injured Ollie Chessum in the second row.
Prop Dan Cole is in line to win his 100th cap from the bench, where Nick Isiekwe and Joe Marchant return.
Ireland are chasing a fifth championship win for a Grand Slam and England are seeking to avoid losing three Six Nations games for the third year in a row.
"We know that after the bitter disappointment of the display against an exceptional France team last week, we will have to be much improved to meet the challenge of playing the side presently ranked No 1 in the world," Borthwick said.
"However, I have witnessed an England squad determined to make amends for the defeat at Twickenham, and I am confident that the team announced today will once again want to show the sort of resilience and attitude that brought us victory in Wales."
ENGLAND TEAM TO FACE IRELAND:
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)14. Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 54 caps)13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 55 caps)12. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 50 caps)11. Henry Arundell (London Irish, 6 caps)10. Owen Farrell (C) (Saracens, 105 caps)9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 11 caps)1. Ellis Genge (VC) (Bristol Bears, 47 caps)2. Jamie George (Saracens, 76 caps)3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 60 caps)4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 66 caps)5. David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)6. Lewis Ludlam (VC) (Northampton Saints, 18 caps)7. Jack Willis (Toulouse, 9 caps)8. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 13 caps)
REPLACEMENTS:16. Jack Walker (Harlequins, 3 caps)17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 78 caps)18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 99 caps)19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 10 caps)20. Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 4 caps)21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)22. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 21 caps)23. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 14 caps)