Four Exeter Chiefs players included in England Squad against Italy

Sam Simmonds will start for England whilst Jack Nowell, Henry Williams and Alec Hepburn are named on the bench.

England play their opening Natwest Six Nations clash of the season against Italy on Sunday at 3pm. Head coach Eddie Jones announced his side earlier thIS morning. 

Simmonds will win his fourth cap in the back-row while Hepburn could make his England debut having been named as a finisher. Jack Nowell, who is slowly returning from an ankle injury, will company prop Harry Williams on the bench. 

Eddie Jones said: “I have selected the strongest available side to play Italy this weekend and the players are excited to play in Rome. Our preparation over the last two weeks has been excellent and the players feel refreshed. We want to start the tournament well and are ready to go hunting against Italy. We know we need to get our set piece right, be defensively strong and play with aggression and plenty of energy.”

England team to face Italy

15 Mike Brown (Harlequins 64 caps)
14 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby 28 caps)
13 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors 8 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens 53 caps)
11 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers 29 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers 40 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers 73 caps)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens 44 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints 89 caps, capt)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers 77 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps 47 caps)
5 Maro Itoje (Saracens 14 caps)
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints 61 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins 59 caps)
8 Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs 3 caps)

16 Jamie George (Saracens 20 caps)
17 Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs uncapped)
18 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs 5 caps)
19 George Kruis (Saracens 21 caps)
20 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby 3 caps)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins 76 caps)
22 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby 35 caps)
23 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs 23 caps)