Jack Clifford has been named at openside flanker in England’s side to face Wales on Saturday and forms part of an inexperienced back row with only 10 international starts between them.
Clifford, whose only previous England start came against Wales last May, is selected ahead of Tom Wood, who has been unable to train fully this week due to a shoulder injury while Jack Nowell replaces Jonny May on the right wing for the trip to Cardiff.
James Haskell is again named on the bench alongside Wood but with Chris Robshaw and Billy Vunipola already sidelined through injury, it leaves Clifford, Maro Itoje – who makes only his second international back-row appearance – and Nathan Hughes comprising the back row. Wales have selected two British & Irish Lions in Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric, alongside Gloucester’s 22-year-old Ross Moriarty.
Eddie Jones defended his selections and said he believes he has got the right blend in his England team. “We have a nice blend of experience and youth and we feel we have got the balance right, ” said Jones. “We think [Clifford] is a really good player and he will give us a bit more pace in the back row. It’s a great opportunity for him. Nathan Hughes has been playing well. Itoje is a young guy learning the ropes and there is no better way to learn the ropes than in matches like these.”
England will seek a record 16th consecutive victory on Saturday after opening their campaign with a lacklustre 19-16 win over France where the replacements, including Nowell, made a telling contribution. May was shown a yellow card in that match and makes way for his Exeter counterpart.
“Jack Nowell starts this week with Jonny May changing to a finisher,” added Jones. “Jack has an excellent work rate and he’s a guy that carries through the line which will be important for us. It’s been a great week of focused preparation and we can’t wait to play Wales.”
Jones accepted responsibility for what he described as an “awful” performance against France and has since been seeking explanations as to why England teams are “petrified” of playing in Cardiff.
“It’s been a great week of focused preparation and we can’t wait to play Wales,” Jones continued. “Playing Wales in Cardiff is one of the biggest games in world rugby and we’re excited. These are the games you want to be part of as a player and a coach.
“It’s a game that is going to be decided on the basics of the game. You do the fundamentals of the game well and you win the game of rugby. We have a young team eager to play well.”
England team to face Wales
M Brown (Harlequins); J Nowell (Exeter), J Joseph (Bath), O Farrell (Saracens), E Daly (Wasps); G Ford (Bath), B Youngs (Leicester); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton, capt), D Cole (Leicester), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), M Itoje (Saracens), J Clifford (Harlequins), N Hughes (Wasps).
Replacements: J George (Saracens), M Mullan (Wasps), K Sinckler (Harlequins), T Wood (Northampton), J Haskell (Wasps), D Care (Harlequins), B Te’o (Worcester), J May (Gloucester).
