Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England name Curry twins, one uncapped player for start in Ireland

Tom and Ben Curry will start together for England for the first time this Saturday (Photo by Dan Mullan/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Steve Borthwick has named his England team to play Ireland away in this Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener, making five changes from their last outing against Japan in the Autumn Nations Series.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Japanese were defeated 59-14 to put an end to a five-match losing streak and nine weeks on from that success, the head coach has included the Curry twins for a first-ever Test start together, called up the uncapped Cadan Murley for a start on the left wing and also selected a six/two forwards/backs bench split.

Three of the starting changes are in the backs, with Freddie Steward taking over at full-back from the injured George Furbank, Murley taking over from Ollie Sleightholme on the wing while the fit-again Alex Mitchell is restored at scrum-half in place of Jack van Poortvliet after missing the entire Autumn Nations Series with a neck injury.

Video Spacer

Maro Itoje speaks at the Men’s Six Nations launch in Rome

Video Spacer

Maro Itoje speaks at the Men’s Six Nations launch in Rome

England captain Maro Itoje spoke to the media at the official Guinness Men’s Six Nations launch event in Rome and at the Colosseum.

In the pack, Luke Cowan-Dickie starts at hooker in place of the injured Jamie George while Ben Curry is named as the starting openside for the unavailable Sam Underhill. Curry will pack down with his brother Tom, the first time the pair will start an England Test together, and they will be joined in the back row by regular No8 Ben Earl.

On the bench, Borthwick has gone with six forwards. Theo Dan will cover at hooker for the promoted Cowan-Dickie and he is joined by Fin Baxter, Joe Heyes, who is named in place of Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Ollie Chessum, who comes in for Nick Isiekwe, Chandler Cunningham-South and Tom Willis, who edges out back Tom Roebuck, the last day’s 23rd man. The back-up half-backs will continue to be Harry Randall and Fin Smith.

Fixture
Six Nations
Ireland
11:45
1 Feb 25
England
All Stats and Data

Borthwick said: “We are looking forward to the challenge of facing the tournament favourites. We know it will be a tough contest against a team that is very familiar with each other. We will need to work tirelessly and maintain our discipline from the first whistle to the last. England versus Ireland in Dublin is a huge occasion, and we will be ready to face it head-on.”

England (vs Ireland, Saturday)
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 35 caps)
14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 15 caps)
13. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 31 caps)
12. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 69 caps)
11. Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 39 caps)
9. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 18 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 66 caps) – vice-captain
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 44 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 45 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 88 caps) – captain
5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 19 caps)
6. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 56 caps)
7. Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 6 caps)
8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 37 caps)

ADVERTISEMENT

Replacements:
16. Theo Dan (Saracens, 16 caps)
17. Fin Baxter (Harlequins, 6 caps)
18. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
19. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
20. Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 11 caps)
21. Tom Willis (Saracens, 1 cap)
22. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 11 caps)
23. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)

Related

Top 100

Rugby’s best of the best, ranked by experts. Check out our list of the Top 100 Men's Rugby Players and let us know what you think! 



ADVERTISEMENT

Argentina v Australia | HSBC SVNS Perth 2025 | Men's Final Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Perth 2025 | Women's Final Match Highlights

The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

Toyota Verblitz vs Saitama Wildknights | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 33 | Dupont's Toulouse Too Good

Gloucester-Hartpury vs Trailfinders Women | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Two Sides | Episode One

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

19 Comments
C
CR 1 day ago

Go Ireland 🇮🇪

i
irish 2 days ago

Overall not a bad team. front row as expected and same with 2nd row. both currys selection was questionable especially tom over willis and ccs. half backs ok. centres as expected but wouldve liked to see a freeman or dingwall over henry salde. no sleighthome confuses me but freeman and steward as expected. delighted for murley. wouldve liked to see asher or roebuck on the bench

C
CW 2 days ago

England will lose with this selection and do badly at the World Cup. These players are good but they have consistently shown they are not world beaters. Not sure what Borthwick is seeing or thinking.

f
fl 1 day ago

who would you select instead?

T
Tom 2 days ago

What an absolutely shocking back row selection. At least we've got a good back row on the bench.

f
fl 2 days ago

I think its a positive sign that England have Ben Earl at 8, but not sure why Tom Curry is in the team.


England don't really need a third openside on the pitch, and I feel like Tom Curry's days as an international player are behind him.

T
Tom 2 days ago

The back row selection sucks.

f
fl 2 days ago

Glad to see a 6:2, devastated to see Marcus start at 10.


England are going to really struggle.

B
Bull Shark 2 days ago

Een kant. Twee kante.

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

LONG READ
LONG READ The big Rugby Europe Championship preview: A race to the land Down Under The big Rugby Europe Championship preview: A race to the land Down Under
Search