Maro Itoje will start on the bench as England host Wales in the first match of their 2026 Six Nations campaign.
England were narrow runners-up last year, with just one point the difference to champions France, and will hope to produce a statement win against long-time rivals Wales as they kick off their latest title bid.
Steve Borthwick has made some bold calls to that end, with the omission of his captain chief among them.
He is named to the bench after he reported to England’s Girona training camp late, having attended his mother’s funeral in Nigeria.
Jamie George takes up the captaincy in his stead, then, while Alex Coles of Northampton takes up the mantle in the second row. Itoje, though, will take over the captaincy when he enters the pitch.
Elsewhere, Henry Arundell makes his first Test start since the 2023 World Cup, joining Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Freddie Steward in the back three.
There will be plenty of scrutiny on that back three, with Borthwick revealing he expects Wales to shy away from playing with the ball in hand.
“We expect Wales to bring a kicking game, so we’ll need to be accurate in how we respond to that challenge,” he said. “For us, our focus is on executing our game plan and maintaining discipline throughout the match.”
Borthwick has opted for the familiar in his backs setup. The all-Northampton centre pairing of Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman sits behind the half-back pairing of Alex Mitchell and George Ford, mainstays of the Autumn Test campaign.
Six of Borthwick’s eight substitutes are forwards, and five are Lions. Marcus Smith will cover the back three alongside Ben Spencer, while the likes of Henry Pollock, Bevan Rodd and Trevor Davison will support the front row.
Borthwick added: “England versus Wales is always a special occasion in the rugby calendar. It’s a fierce rivalry with a long history, and one that brings a huge challenge every time we meet.
“We’re excited to get the Championship underway at a packed-out Allianz Stadium. The support we receive at home is outstanding and always gives the players a huge lift.”
England XV vs Wales: Steward, Feyi-Waboso, Freeman, Dingwall, Arundell, Ford, Mitchell, Genge, George, Heyes, Coles, Chessum, Pepper, Underhill, Early
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Rodd, Davison, Itoje, Curry, Pollock, Spencer, Smith
Date: Saturday, February 7, 2026.
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
