George Furbank starts, Tom Curry at eight for England

Adam Kyriacou

England head coach Eddie Jones has handed George Furbank his international debut in their Six Nations clash with France in Paris on Sunday.

Furbank will make his Test bow at full-back with Elliot Daly named on the left wing and Jonny May on the right following Anthony Watson’s late unavailability due to injury.

Owen Farrell is named at inside centre and will captain the side with 675 caps in the starting XV for the game at the Stade de France.

George Ford starts inside Farrell at fly-half with Manu Tuilagi at outside centre. Ben Youngs will play his 96th Test at scrum-half.

Tom Curry is selected as number eight with Sam Underhill at openside flanker and Courtney Lawes at blindside flanker.

Charlie Ewels will partner Maro Itoje in the second-row with Jamie George, Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler making up England’s front-row.

Prop Will Stuart is included as a replacement and the second uncapped player in the matchday 23.

Jones, heading into his fifth Six Nations as England’s head coach, said: “It has been a massively exciting week for us. It is the start of the Guinness Six Nations, the best rugby tournament in the world. We have had a great preparation in Portugal with a quality training week this week.

“We have really worried about ourselves, getting ourselves right. We have picked a strong forward pack which is part of the England way and an exciting backline with young George Furbank playing his first Test at full-back.

“France can expect absolute brutality from England, we are going to go out there to make sure they understand what Test rugby is. It is about being brutal, it is about being physical and it is about dominating the set-piece.”

England last played France in the 2019 edition of the tournament, beating Les Bleus 44-8 at Twickenham Stadium. Under Jones, England have won two of the last four Six Nations including a Grand Slam in 2016.

England: 15 George Furbank, 14 Jonny May, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Tom Curry, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Joe Marler
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 George Kruis, 20 Lewis Ludlam, 21 Willi Heinz, 22 Ollie Devoto, 23 Jonathan Joseph

Date: Sunday, February 2
Venue: Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Kick-off: 16:00 local (15:00 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)

 

England