Ireland v England: teams

James Haskell will start for England in Sunday’s RBS Six Nations match against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
The London Wasps forward comes in the back row for Gloucster’s Ben Morgan who sustained an injury in the 38-18 Calcutta Cup win over Scotland last Saturday but will start at blindside with Northampton’s Tom Wood making a positional switch to No.8.
If this change was enforced on Stuart Lancaster, the return to fitness of Leicester’s powerhouse centre Manu Tuilagi brought question marks over the midfield partnership.
Gloucester’s Billy Twelvetrees, who made a try-scoring debut to his Test career last week, impressed at inside centre with his pace and distribution skills while Saracens’ Brad Barritt also put on a strong display outside him.
Lancaster has kept the duo naming Tuilagi on the bench at the expense of Saracens’ David Strettle who drops out of the match-day 23.
With Ireland also putting on a strong display to beat Wales 30-22 at the Millennium, it looks like the winner of this game will pencil in their name on the Six Nations trophy.
Lancaster said: “We were pleased with our intent to play against Scotland. A lot of the players performed very well and with Manu coming back into the equation it gave us some selection decisions.
“But with the centres playing well last week and Manu still returning to match fitness, having not played for the last four weeks, he and others will give us great options from the bench in what I am sure will be a physical encounter.
“It was good to have Billy Vunipola be able to train with us in the middle of the week but he needs some game time so he and David Strettle will be available for their clubs this weekend.”
Henry Thomas of Sale Sharks will travel as the 24th man tighthead prop cover following this evening’s Aviva Premiership match against Exeter Chiefs.
Meanwhile, Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has named an unchanged side from the one that beat Wales in Cardiff last week.
Gordon D’Arcy, back row Peter O’Mahony and wing Keith Earls have all recovered from knocks picked up in that game and will take their place in the squad at Centre, blindside and on the bench respectively.
Wing sensation Simon Zebo is on the left wing while the ever-green Brian O’Driscoll is outside D’Arcy in the midfield after a man of the match display for his return in Cardiff.
Up front, Former Harlequins prop will take on Quins’ Joe Marler after being named at tight-head again.
Ireland: Rob Kearney (Leinster); Craig Gilroy (Ulster), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster), Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster), Simon Zebo (Munster); Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster); Cian Healy (Leinster), Rory Best, (Ulster), Mike Ross (Leinster); Mike McCarthy (Connacht), Donnacha Ryan (Munster); Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Sean O’Brien (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster, Capt.).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (Leinster), David Kilcoyne (Munster), Declan Fitzpatrick (Ulster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Ronan O’Gara (Munster), Keith Earls (Munster).
England: Alex Goode (Saracens); Chris Ashton (Saracens), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester), Mike Brown (Harlequins); Owen Farrell (Saracens), Ben Youngs (Leicester); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Tom Youngs (Leicester), Dan Cole (Leicester); Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Geoff Parling (Leicester); James Haskell (London Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, Capt.), Tom Wood (Northampton).
Replacements: Dylan Hartley (Northampton), David Wilson (Bath), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Thomas Waldrom (Leicester), Danny Care (Harlequins), Toby Flood (Leicester), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester).