Roll up, rugby fans! Coach Steve Borthwick has decided to shake things up for England's clash with Ireland this Saturday at Twickenham, following that eye-opener of a defeat to Scotland last week. Yes, the Scots stopped England’s 12-game victory parade dead in its tracks with a 31-20 thumping in Edinburgh. So, what's the response? A lineup shuffle that sees Henry Pollock snagging his first start in the No 8 jersey, while Ben Earl and Tom Curry shuffle around in the back row. Changes are afoot, folks!
But that's not all. The backline sees some musical chairs too. Tommy Freeman is winging it now, replacing Tom Roebuck, and Ollie Lawrence steps into the No 13 shirt for his first start of the tournament. Pollock, who's been more of a bench warmer with seven caps as a sub, finally gets a shot from the get-go. Meanwhile, Henry Arundell, despite a recent brush with disciplinary action, retains his spot on the left wing.
"To reach 100 caps for England is a remarkable achievement and speaks volumes about Maro’s consistency and professionalism over many years,"
That's what Coach Borthwick had to say about Maro Itoje, who will be celebrating his 100th cap this weekend, joining the exclusive centurion club for England. It's not just a game; it's a milestone moment.
Switching gears to the bench, there's fresh backup too with Jack van Poortvliet and Marcus Smith stepping in to hopefully add some late-game magic if needed.
As we gear up for what promises to be a cracking match, here’s how England lines up:
ENGLAND – 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge. Bench: 16 Jamie George, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Sam Underhill, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 Marcus Smith.
It's all set for a thrilling showdown at Twickenham. Will England bounce back and put their Six Nations campaign back on track, or will Ireland prove to be the stumbling block in their path? Saturday can't come soon enough!
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Roll up, rugby fans! Coach Steve Borthwick has decided to shake things up for England's clash with Ireland this Saturday at Twickenham, following that eye-opener of a defeat to Scotland last week. Yes, the Scots stopped England’s 12-game victory parade dead in its tracks with a 31-20 thumping in Edinburgh. So, what's the response? A lineup shuffle that sees Henry Pollock snagging his first start in the No 8 jersey, while Ben Earl and Tom Curry shuffle around in the back row. Changes are afoot, folks!
But that's not all. The backline sees some musical chairs too. Tommy Freeman is winging it now, replacing Tom Roebuck, and Ollie Lawrence steps into the No 13 shirt for his first start of the tournament. Pollock, who's been more of a bench warmer with seven caps as a sub, finally gets a shot from the get-go. Meanwhile, Henry Arundell, despite a recent brush with disciplinary action, retains his spot on the left wing.
"To reach 100 caps for England is a remarkable achievement and speaks volumes about Maro’s consistency and professionalism over many years,"
That's what Coach Borthwick had to say about Maro Itoje, who will be celebrating his 100th cap this weekend, joining the exclusive centurion club for England. It's not just a game; it's a milestone moment.
Switching gears to the bench, there's fresh backup too with Jack van Poortvliet and Marcus Smith stepping in to hopefully add some late-game magic if needed.
As we gear up for what promises to be a cracking match, here’s how England lines up:
ENGLAND – 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge. Bench: 16 Jamie George, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Sam Underhill, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 Marcus Smith.
It's all set for a thrilling showdown at Twickenham. Will England bounce back and put their Six Nations campaign back on track, or will Ireland prove to be the stumbling block in their path? Saturday can't come soon enough!