Steve Borthwick, England coach, unveiled this Sunday a group of 36 players to prepare for the reception of Ireland next Saturday (5:45 p.m.), counting for the fourth day of the Six Nations Tournament. Among them, a strong return, that of Harlequins fly-half, Marcus Smith, absent since the start of this edition after injuring his calf during a preparatory camp in Girona (Spain). Considered the number 1 choice at the scrum, scrum half Alex Mitchell (Northampton), injured in the knee before the last match in Edinburgh, is also back in the XV de la Rose squad. These two players were retained last week, but they were finishing their rehabilitation.
In the absence of this hinge, George Ford and Danny Care were disappointing during the defeat conceded at Murrayfield against Scotland. They were replaced in the second half by young Fin Smith and Ben Spencer, whose last appearance dates back to the 2019 Rugby World Cup final lost to South Africa in Tokyo.
New international Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (21) was also recalled. Last week, the Exeter winger was absent from the group because, as a medical student, he had to take a face-to-face exam at the University of Exeter, a campus in the south of England. The XV de la Rose began its 2024 Tournament with a sluggish success in Italy (24-27), before struggling to beat Wales at Twickenham (16-14) and losing in Edinburgh against Scotland (30 -21).
Avants : Ollie Chessum (Leicester), Dan Cole (Leicester), Alex Coles (Northampton), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Theo Dan (Saracens), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Ben Earl (Saracens), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Ellis Genge (Bristol), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), George Martin (Leicester), Beno Obano (Bath), Ethan Roots (Exeter), Will Stuart (Bath), Sam Underhill (Bath).
Arrières : Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Saracens), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter), George Ford (Sale), Tommy Freeman (Northampton), George Furbank (Northampton), Ollie Lawrence (Bath), Alex Mitchell (Northampton), Will Muir (Bath), Tom Roebuck (Sale), Henry Slade (Exeter), Fin Smith (Northampton), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Ben Spencer (Bath), Freddie Steward (Leicester), Manu Tuilagi (Sale).