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England drop Tuilagi for Six Nations opener against Scotland / Photo: Ian Kington - AFP/File
England drop Tuilagi for Six Nations opener against Scotland
England centre Manu Tuilagi was omitted from Steve Borthwick's first matchday squad for Saturday's Six Nations opener against Scotland.
Former England captain Borthwick, who took over after Eddie Jones was sacked in December following their worst year since 2008, recalled Joe Marchant instead of Tuilagi for the Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham.
Marchant will join fly-half Marcus Smith and England captain Owen Farrell among the backs, with Ollie Lawrence and Anthony Watson, two late call-ups, providing bench cover.
Injury-plagued Tuilagi has won caps in an England career dating back to 2011 and featured in three of their four November Tests.
The powerful 31-year-old has often been England's go-to centre when fit, although his repeated absence have frustrated repeated attempts to create a settled midfield.
Borthwick, was the coach at Leicester when Tuilagi, having refused a pay cut when the Covid-19 pandemic put the English Premiership on hold, left the club where he made his name for Sale Sharks.
Dan Kelly, Guy Porter and Matias Moroni subsequently starred in a refreshed midfield as Leicester won last season's Premiership title.
Ollie Hassell-Collins will make a Test debut on the left wing, with Max Malins and Freddie Steward completing the back three.
Elsewhere in the backs, Jack van Poortvliet will start at scrum-half, with Leicester team-mate Ben Youngs, England's most-capped player, on the bench.
In the pack, Ben Curry has been summoned into a back-row missing injured twin brother Tom, with Maro Itoje partnered at lock by Ollie Chessum.
Jamie George, having come through concussion protocols, starts at hooker.
The combination of Smith, Farrell and Marchant has been seen once before, in the first Test against Australia last year.
Marchant, who will join Stade Francais next season, was dropped after that defeat in Perth and did not appear during Jones' final November campaign.
His return alongside Smith could help England implement the plans of attack coach Nick Evans, on secondment from Harlequins.
Scotland, who named their side earlier Thursday, will be bidding for a third straight win over England in the latest edition of rugby union's oldest international fixture.
England (15-1)
Freddie Steward; Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Owen Farrell (capt), Ollie Hassell-Collins; Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet; Alex Dombrandt, Ben Curry, Lewis Ludlam; Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Ellis Genge
Replacements: Jack Walker, Mako Vunipola, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Ben Earl, Ben Youngs, Ollie Lawrence, Anthony Watson
Coach: Steve Borthwick (ENG)
E.Accardi--INP
