Tom Curry has been named as England’s captain for their Six Nations opener against Scotland on Saturday, with Joe Marchant making a surprise return to take his place on the wing. Eddie Jones has also handed Sam Simmonds a first England start since 2018 and given Nick Isiekwe the nod at second-row in what ranks among his most inexperienced team selections.
At 23, Curry becomes England’s youngest captain since Will Carling, stepping into the role in the absence of both Owen Farrell and Courtney Lawes. As reported by the Guardian, Curry emerged as the favourite for the role since England went into camp and will lead the side from openside flanker, with Simmonds lining up at number eight. Marcus Smith is preferred to George Ford at fly-half in a side with a combined 452 caps, seeking what would be only England’s second win in five matches against Scotland.
Marchant’s inclusion on the left wing, meanwhile, is a shock given he tested positive for Covid-19 last Friday. As a result he has been unable to train all week but, after testing negative for the second time in consecutive days on Thursday morning, he has been thrust straight into the side. Rather than line up alongside Henry Slade in midfield, however, Marchant will wear the number 11 jersey with Elliot Daly returning at centre.
Daly was initially omitted from the squad and, having missed the autumn internationals through injury, he comes in for his first appearance since last year’s Six Nations. In England’s final match of the tournament against Ireland, Jones had wanted to deploy Daly at centre, only for a late injury to Max Malins to force a rethink. Daly will finally take to the field in the No 13 jersey, however, for the first time in England colours in six years. Malins, meanwhile, is on the right wing.
In the forwards, Isiekwe is rewarded for his form since coming into camp as injury cover for Lawes. He has not appeared for England since the 2018 summer tour of South Africa,but he has caught the eye with his performances for Saracens this season and gets the nod ahead of Charlie Ewels. Simmonds edges out Alex Dombrandt at number eight while Lewis Ludlam – another player in impressive domestic form this season – is selected at blindside flanker.
Frontrow
Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Kyle Sinckler comprise the front row with Maro Itoje alongside his Saracens team-mate Isiekwe at lock. Ben Youngs will win his 113th England cap at scrum-half and Freddie Steward continues his burgeoning England career at fullback. Jamie George, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Ewels, Dombrandt, Harry Randall, Ford and Jack Nowell are the replacements.
“As the first game, this match is hugely important to both sides and we will both want to get off to a winning start,” said Jones. “We have a good, young team but we understand the task ahead and we’ll be ready to go after it from the first kick. Tom Curry will captain the side for this game and has the respect of the team around him, in Owen and Courtney’s absence.
“He also has the support of the vice-captains and other leaders in the team such as Maro Itoje and Ben Youngs. We have prepared really well for this game. We’ve had a number of obstacles thrown at us, but we’ve overcome them as a more together group and we’re looking forward to getting started.”
Starting line-up
Meanwhile, Jonny Gray will make a return to the starting line-up for Scotland after Gregor Townsend named his team . After missing out on the Autumn Test matches through injury, Exeter lock Gray starts for the first time since March 2021 when he played against Ireland. He is joined in the second row by Edinburgh’s Grant Gilchrist, who will be one appearance away from reaching 50 caps after stepping out against England.
Elsewhere in the forwards pack, Worcester prop Rory Sutherland is named after playing in all of last year’s Six Nations matches. He is joined in the front row by Glasgow pair, hooker George Turner and prop Zander Fagerson. Edinburgh duo Jamie Ritchie and Hamish Watson will combine with Matt Fagerson from Glasgow in the back row. Racing 92’s Finn Russell and Glasgow’s Ali Price will partner each other at nine and 10 respectively for the fourth consecutive game, while Worcester’s Duhan van der Merwe starts on the wing. Darcy Graham will be on the opposite flank following some impressive form with Edinburgh. Gloucester’s Chris Harris and Glasgow’s Sam Johnson are set to combine in the centre once again, with captain Stuart Hogg starting at full-back in his ninth Calcutta Cup match.
On the bench, London Irish scrumhalf Ben White will have the opportunity to make his Scotland debut, with Edinburgh’s Blair Kinghorn and Glasgow’s Sione Tuipulotu other options in the backs. Magnus Bradbury is also among the replacements and could make his first appearance for Scotland since 2020, while Sam Skinner, WP Nel, Pierre Schoeman and Stuart McInally are also on the bench.
SCOTLAND: S Hogg (Exeter, capt); D Graham (Edinburgh), C Harris (Gloucester), S Johnson (Glasgow), D van der Merwe (Worcester); F Russell (Racing 92), A Price (Glasgow); R Sutherland (Worcester), G Turner (Glasgow), Z Fagerson (Glasgow); J Gray (Exeter), G Gilchrist (Edinburgh); JRitchie (Edinburgh), H Watson (Edinburgh), M Fagerson (Glasgow).
Replacements: S McInally (Edinburgh), P Schoeman (Edinburgh), WP Nel (Edinburgh), S Skinner (Exeter), M Bradbury (Edinburgh), B White (London Irish), B Kinghorn (Edinburgh), S Tuipulotu (Glasgow).
ENGLAND: F Steward (Leicester); M Malins (Saracens), E Daly (Saracens), H Slade (Exeter), J Marchant (Harlequins); M Smith (Harlequins), B Youngs (Leicester); E Genge (Leicester), L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter ), K Sinckler (Bristol); M Itoje (Saracens), N Isiekwe (Saracens); L Ludlam (Northampton), T Curry (Sale, capt), S Simmonds (Exeter).
Replacements: J George (Saracens), J Marler (Harlequins), W Stuart (Bath), C Ewels (Bath), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), H Randall (Bristol), G Ford (Leicester), J Nowell (Exeter).
