Steve Borthwick expects Maro Itoje to be greeted with a “big roar” when the grieving England captain steps off the bench against Wales at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
Jamie George will lead the team into the Six Nations opener after Itoje was given a replacement’s role, the first time he has not been in the starting XV for a Championship game since 2020.
The British and Irish Lions skipper missed the start of England’s training camp in Girona to attend the funeral of his mother Florence in Nigeria following her death in December.
Borthwick said that giving Itoje a supporting role against Wales is the right call in light of recent events.
“We all feel for Maro and his family after the very sad loss of his mum,” Borthwick told BBC Sport.
“Maro and I talk a lot as you would expect. It is the right thing for him and the team this week.
“Maro was out in Nigeria and arrived back in camp a day or two after everybody else. We made the decision for this game that it’s best for him to start on the bench.
“I think he is going to have a massive impact. I also know the crowd when Maro comes to the touchline, I’m sure he will get a big roar.”
Itoje has played every minute of the last 30 Six Nations matches but on this occasion he will form part of England’s ‘Bomb Squad’, which includes fellow Lions Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry and Henry Pollock among six replacement forwards.
“Maro is good. As you would expect, he has thrown himself into the preparation here and has been a role model and an example to the other players, as he always is,” Borthwick said.
“This squad is really building a connection and so is the understanding the players have for each other. That connection is so vital for us as a team.”
Henry Arundell will make his first England start since the 2023 World Cup after being named on the left wing.
Arundell featured against Argentina in the bronze final two-and-a-half years ago but became unavailable when he signed for French club Racing 92 and only made his Test comeback as a replacement against Fiji in the autumn having joined Bath.
Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman form the centres with Borthwick turning to a familiar combination after the Northampton team-mates were also paired together for last year’s emphatic victories over Wales and Australia.
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Alex Mitchell and George Ford will direct operations at half-back with Freddie Steward and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso completing the backline.
Itoje’s omission from the starting XV sees Alex Coles and Ollie Chessum pack down in the second row with Sam Underhill and Guy Pepper the flankers.
Borthwick has revealed that George Furbank and Tom Roebuck just missed out as they recover from respective calf and toe injuries.
