England team to face Ireland revealed as Steve…

England team to face Ireland revealed as Steve Borthwick reacts to France mauling

Steve Borthwick has responded to England’s biggest ever home defeat by picking all but four of the same team and telling them to have another go.

A week after being slammed 53-10 by France, the world’s number two side, England take on top-ranked Ireland in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day weekend.

Borthwick was widely expected to ring the changes after the seven-try thrashing yet has named the same forward pack, save for replacing the injured Ollie Chessum with David Ribbans.

It is in the back line where he has wielded the axe, dropping fly-half Marcus Smith in favour of Owen Farrell and wing Max Malins, to allow Henry Arundell his first start. The changes are completed by Manu Tuilagi taking over from injured centre Ollie Lawrence.

Borthwick said: “We know that after the bitter disappointment of the display against an exceptional France team last week, we will have to be much improved to meet the challenge of playing the side presently ranked number one in the world.

“However, I have witnessed an England squad determined to make amends for the defeat at Twickenham, and I am confident that the team will once again want to show the sort of resilience and attitude that brought us victory in Wales.”

Caelan Doris and Dan Sheehan have been passed fit to start for Ireland, who are 80 minutes from a fourth Grand Slam and their first ever in Dublin.

Jamison Gibson-Park takes over from Conor Murray at scrum-half while centre Robbie Henshaw and lock Ryan Baird replace injured duo Garry Ringrose and Iain Henderson.