Northampton Saints’ lock Courtney Lawes has been named in England’s matchday 23 to face Scotland in the 2021 Guinness Six Nations opener this Saturday (kick-off 4.45pm).
Taking to the Twickenham turf to get the Championship underway, Lawes will be looking to claim his 86th international cap if he enters the action from the bench.
The game marks the 150-year anniversary of the Calcutta Cup fixture, after the first-ever international rugby Test match was played between the two nations at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh in 1871.
England head coach, Eddie Jones, said: “We’re really looking forward to this game and getting the Guinness Six Nations back underway. It’s even more special to be taking part in a 150th anniversary game, it will be a good occasion.
“It was difficult to pick the 23 players. We’ve had a really good week of training, it’s been very competitive but I’ve gone with what I feel is the strongest 23 for this week.
“The Six Nations is a short tournament, it’s a real sprint so we’ll need to be on the front foot straight away. We know Scotland will be raring to go – but so will we.”
ENGLAND SIDE TO FACE SCOTLAND
2021 Guinness Six Nations
Saturday 6 February
Twickenham Stadium
Kick-off 4.45pm
Live on ITV
15 Elliot Daly (Saracens, 47 caps)
14 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 46 caps)
13 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)
12 Ollie Lawrence (Worcester Warriors, 3 caps)
11 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 61 caps)
10 Owen Farrell (C) (Saracens, 88 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 104 caps)
1 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens, 54 caps)
3 Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 8 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 43 caps)
5 Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
6 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, 19 caps)
7 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 28 caps)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 56 caps)
Replacments:
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 26 caps)
17 Beno Obano (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
18 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 18 caps)
19 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 85 caps)
20 Ben Earl (Bristol Bears, 8 caps)
21 Dan Robson (Wasps, 7 caps)
22 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 72 caps)
23 Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 3 caps)
