| Venue: Twickenham Stadium Date: Sunday, 12 February Kick-off: 15:00 GMT |
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England head coach Steve Borthwick is relying on a new-look centre pairing to help Owen Farrell unlock Italy’s defence in the Six Nations on Sunday.
Ollie Lawrence starts at 12 while Henry Slade returns from a hip injury to replace Joe Marchant, who drops out of the squad, at outside centre.
Farrell retains his starting role by moving from inside centre to replace Marcus Smith at fly-half.
Borthwick says his available options in midfield helped make his decision.
“Having Slade available this week has been very important,” Borthwick said at Friday’s news conference.
“He wasn’t available last week and having his distribution skills and his left foot kicking option is also a great strength. Any team that has the ability to have right and left-footed kickers in the backline has a strength.”
Borthwick, who was England’s forwards coach between 2015 and 2020, added: “I look back at some of the games in the first period I was with the England team as an assistant coach and the way Henry played in some very important games for us.
“I have been out of the team for two or three years but coming back, I can’t tell you how impressed I have been with him and the determination he has had to be in this team.
“He is clearly more experienced now and is a seasoned campaigner at club and international level and he has an outstanding skillset.”
Farrell, Lawrence and Slade all start together for the second time, the only other occasion a defeat against Scotland in the 2021 Six Nations.
Lawrence, who will make his fourth England start, is rewarded for his club form for Bath, where his physicality in attack and defence has not gone unnoticed.
England struggled to break the gainline in their opening defeat by Scotland with Farrell at 12 and Marchant utilised as a first phase ball-carrying option.
Smith has struggled to recreate his club form with Harlequins at Test level and Borthwick will be hoping Farrell’s move to his more comfortable position at fly-half and Lawrence’s inclusion can give his side the edge in midfield.
He added: “Ollie Lawrence brings a certain skillset which he has been showing tremendously in the Premiership this season in the way he carries the ball and the way he also defends in the physical manner he does.”
