With England’s prop stocks hit by injuries to Will Stuart, Fin Baxter and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, England’s strongest pairing of Ellis Genge and Joe Heyes start.
While England powered to four successive wins in the autumn with the aid of a ‘Pom Squad’ set of experienced replacements, there is less Test-proven ability on the bench for their tournament opener.
Bevan Rodd, who has made two Test starts in the last couple of years, and Trevor Davison, who has three caps, are the prop replacements.
Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill and Ben Earl – the back-row combination for England’s three toughest autumn internationals – start together again.
As expected, Alex Mitchell and George Ford reprise their half-back partnership with Henry Pollock, who has won all five of his caps off the bench, and Tom Curry among the replacements once again.
Sale wing Tom Roebuck, who has not played since picking up a toe injury in November’s victory over New Zealand, is left out of the matchday squad and is given another week to get up to match sharpness.
