Eddie Jones Names England Team To Face France
by Sean McMahonEddie Jones has named his England team to face France in Paris on Sunday in the opening round of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations (KO 3 pm).
The starting XV includes the uncapped George Furbank of Northampton Saints. Furbank will start at fullback as Elliot Daly starts on the left wing with Jonny May on the right wing. Anthony Watson is unavailable due to injury.
Owen Farrell will captain the side from inside centre where he will be joined by Manu Tuilagi in midfield. George Ford starts at out-half alongside Leicester Tigers clubmate Ben Youngs at scrum-half.
In the pack, Joe Marler, Jamie George and Kyle Sinckler start in the front-row with Maro Itoje and Charlie Ewels in the second-row.
The back-row is made up of Courtney Lawes at blindside, Sam Underhill at openside and Tom Curry at number eight.
The replacements include prop Will Stuart who looks set to make his international debut.
“It has been a massively exciting week for us,” Jones said.
“It is the start of the Guinness Six Nations, the best rugby tournament in the world. We have had a great preparation in Portugal with a quality training week this week.
“We have really worried about ourselves, getting ourselves right. We have picked a strong forward pack which is part of the England way and an exciting backline with young George Furbank playing his first Test at fullback.
“France can expect absolute brutality from England, we are going to go out there to make sure they understand what Test rugby is.It is about being brutal, it is about being physical and it is about dominating the set-piece.”
England Team v France (KO 3 pm, Sunday)
15 George Furbank (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 52 caps)
13 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 40 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 79 caps) C
11 Elliot Daly (Saracens, 39 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 65 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 95 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 68 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens, 45 caps)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 31 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 34 caps)
5 Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 12 caps)
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 81 caps)
7 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 15 caps)
8 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 19 caps)
Replacements
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 21 caps)
17 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 14 caps)
18 Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
19 George Kruis (Saracens, 41 caps)
20 Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
21 Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby, 9 caps)
22 Ollie Devoto (Exeter Chiefs, 1 cap)
23 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 47 caps)