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Willi Heinz earns scrum-half start for England
Friday, 07 February 2020 - 19:41 | Views - 566

England head coach Eddie Jones has made several changes to his side after their opening defeat as they prepare to face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Ben Youngs is the biggest-name casualty after the veteran Leicester scrum-half was demoted to the bench for the Six Nations second round fixture, making way for Willi Heinz.

Also gone is loosehead prop Joe Marler, who is jettisoned from the 23 completely and loses his place in the starting XV to Mako Vunipola, with Ellis Genge deputising among the replacements.

Courtney Lawes has been relieved of his blindside flanker duties in a move that elevates Lewis Ludlam into the back-row, but Tom Curry is retained at number eight for a second match.

The second-row sees George Kruis come in for Charlie Ewels, the Bath lock who has also paid the price for a below-par opening to the Championship in Paris.

Jonathan Joseph’s selection at outside centre is an enforced change after Manu Tuilagi was ruled out of the trip to Edinburgh by a groin strain that should see him return against Ireland two weeks later.

George Furbank endured an error-strewn Test debut at the Stade de France but he survives at full-back and is present as part of an unchanged back three.

There is no Luke Cowan-Dickie on the bench due to his wife going into labour, so Tom Dunn could make his debut as a replacement, as could uncapped Saracens flanker Ben Earl.

Jones has opted for a six-two split of forwards and backs on the bench, pointing to a game plan of overpowering Scotland up front.

England: 15 George Furbank, 14 Jonny May, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell (c), 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Tom Curry, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Lewis Ludlam, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Courtney Lawes, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Ben Youngs, 23 Ollie Devoto

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