Joe Marler has lost his starting place in the England side to play France in Paris as Eddie Jone’s team chase their first grand slam in the Six Nations since 2003.
Mako Vunipola is picked ahead of Marler at loosehead prop while, in the one other change Danny Care replaces Ben Youngs at scrum-half.
The team’s captain, Dylan Hartley, has been passed fit despite missing training on Tuesday afternoon with Jones saying: “We’ve picked our best 23 who we think can get the job done in Paris.”
Marler appears to be paying the price for a week of controversy in which he escaped a potential ban after being cleared of striking Wales’s Rob Evans in England’s victory at Twickenham last weekend and a sanction for the “Gypsy boy” comment he aimed at another Wales prop, Samson Lee.
“Everyone wants to be on the field this Saturday so selection was nip and tuck,” Jones said. “Danny Care starts at scrum-half with Ben Youngs finishing the game.”
England’s back row is unchanged for the fifth successive match while George Ford remains at fly-half with Owen Farrell at inside-centre.
“While we are pleased to have already won the championship we don’t want to let our foot off the gas,” said Jones.
“The objective has always been to win every game, to be the most dominant team in Europe, so it’s been very important to us to approach this week with the same level of intensity we have shown in previous weeks. I’m pleased with how we have prepared and with the focus the squad have shown.
“You can’t underestimate any team in Test match rugby. France are a dangerous team but we go to Paris full of confidence and a hunger to get the win.”
England team to play France, Stade de France, Paris, 8pm Saturday
M Brown (Harlequins); A Watson (Bath), J Joseph (Bath), O Farrell (Saracens), J Nowell (Exeter); G Ford (Bath), D Care (Harlequins); M Vunipola (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton, capt), D Cole (Leicester), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), C Robshaw (Harlequins), J Haskell (Wasps), B Vunipola (Saracens).
Replacements L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), J Marler (Harlequins), K Brookes (Northampton), J Launchbury (Wasps), J Clifford (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester), E Daly (Wasps), M Tuilagi (Leicester).
