Chiefs duo to face Ireland

By Mark Stevens
15/3/18

Exeter Chiefs duo Sam Simmonds and Don Armand have both been named in Eddie Jones in his England squad to play Ireland at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday (2:45pm).

Simmonds will win his seventh cap, starting the game at No.8 in the back-row alongside the experienced Chris Robshaw and James Haskell, while Armand will offer back-up from the bench if called upon.

Should Armand take to the field, he will win his second international cap having debuted on last summer's tour to Argentina.

Elsewhere, captain Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) returns after recovering from injury with tighthead prop Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins) making his first start of the campaign.

Saracens lock George Kruis will partner Maro Itoje (Saracens) in the second row while James Haskell is also added from the outset.

Saracens club-mates Richard Wigglesworth and Owen Farrell will start as the half-back pairing. Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors) moves to inside centre with Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby) recalled at outside centre.

Jones said: “We can’t wait to get back to Twickenham and play there. We have had a couple of tough games on the road and to get back and play in front of our 24th man will be exciting for the players and they will be looking forward to putting in a good performance.

“Ireland is a very good team. We have seen in every game the physical contest has been quite enormous so we have to meet that physical challenge and then play smart tactically.”

England side to face Ireland

15 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby 32 caps)
14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers 33 caps)
13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby 39 caps)
12 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors 12 caps)
11 Elliot Daly (Wasps 17 caps)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens 57 caps)
9 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens 30 caps)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens 48 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints 92 caps, capt)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins 9 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens 18 caps)
5 George Kruis (Saracens 24 caps)
6 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins 63 caps)
7 James Haskell (Wasps 76 caps)
8 Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs 6 caps)

16 Jamie George (Saracens 24 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins 55 caps)
18 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers 81 caps)
19 Joe Launchbury (Wasps 51 caps)
20 Don Armand (Exeter Chiefs 1 cap)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins 80 caps)
22 George Ford (Leicester Tigers 44 caps)
23 Mike Brown (Harlequins 68 caps)