JONES KEEN TO SEE CENTRE WITH FARRELL AND FORD

en Te’o was poised for his full debut, with Danny Care recalled to the starting side, as England coach Eddie Jones rang the changes for tomorrow’s Six Nations international against Italy at Twickenham.

Jones had promised something of a shake-up after defending champions England kept alive their hopes of backto-back Grand Slams with a 21-16 win over Wales in Cardiff earlier this month.

New Zealand-born former rugby league favourite Te’o will start in midfield alongside Owen Farrell, with George Ford remaining at fly-half.

All of Teo’s five previous caps have come off the bench but he now replaces the omitted Jonathan Joseph after impressing as a replacement this tournament against both France and Wales.

“Ben Te’o at 13 gives us another way of playing the game and we are excited about seeing him, George Ford and Owen Farrell play together in the midfield,” Jones said in a Rugby Football Union statement.

Scrum-half Care, who has only made two starts under Australian boss Jones — yet to lose a match as England coach — comes off the bench, with regular No.9 Ben Youngs among the replacements.

England (15-1)

Mike Brown; Jonny May, Ben Te’o, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly; George Ford, Danny Care; Nathan Hughes, James Haskell, Maro Itoje; Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury; Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley (capt), Joe Marler

Replacements:

Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Kyle Sinckler, Tom Wood, Jack Clifford, Ben Youngs, Henry Slade, Jack Nowell

“Ben Youngs has been outstanding for us at number nine, but Danny Care gets the starting jersey this week,” Jones said.

“For the first half he’ll give us a lot of speed and running at the base of the ruck as well as the scrum. Ben will then come on and finish the game.”

There were two other changes to England’s XV announced yesterday.

‘Explosive’ Haskell

Jonny May returned to the right wing in place of Anthony Watson, with flanker James Haskell given a starting position in the back row.

Sunday’s match will be Haskell’s first Test start since last year’s victorious tour of Australia after seven months out of the 1st XV following foot surgery.

“Tom Wood has been great for us at seven and Jack Clifford did well against Wales but James Haskell has the starting role on Sunday,” said Jones.

“James has come back to a much better level of fitness and we are sure his explosive actions will help us in the first part of the game.”

On the bench, prop Mako Vunipola was selected for his first Test of 2017 after recovering from a knee injury.