Burgess to make international debut for Saxons

Sam Burgess will make his rugby union international debut tomorrow when England Saxons take on Ireland Wolfhounds in Cork.
The Bath cross-coder will start at inside centre in one of the strongest Saxons sides selected in recent years and will be joined in the midfield by Wasps’ Elliot Daly with England Test internationals Chris Ashton, Marland Yarde and Chris Pennell in the back three.
Northampton Saints’ Lee Dickson will lead the team from scrum-half and he will partner Henry Slade at half-back.
Matt Mullan, Rob Webber and Henry Thomas will provide an all-international front row while Matt Garvey and James Gaskell have been named in the engine room.
Dave Ewers, Matt Kvesic and Thomas Waldrom have been given the nod in the back row with Carl Fears on the bench.
Jon Callard said: “The game tomorrow night against the Wolfhounds will be a difficult and tough match for us but the group is excited about it and the opportunity to put on an England shirt.
“The team is one of the strongest Saxons sides selected and every player knows the importance of this match with potential of claiming a spot in the senior squad for the RBS 6 Nations campaign and the World Cup later in year.”
England Saxons: Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors); Chris Ashton (Saracens), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby), Marland Yarde (Harlequins); Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, Capt.); Matt Mullan (Wasps), Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby); Matt Garvey (Bath Rugby), James Gaskell (Wasps); Dave Ewers (Exeter Chiefs), Matt Kvesic (Gloucester Rugby), Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs).
Replacements: Luke Cowan Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Alex Waller (Northampton Saints), Jake Cooper-Woolley (Wasps), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Carl Fearns (Bath), Joe Simpson (Wasps), Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby), Christian Wade (Wasps).
Ireland Wolfhounds: Felix Jones (Munster); Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster); Ian Madigan (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht); Jack McGrath (Leinster), Richardt Strauss (Leinster), Mike Ross (Leinster); Iain Henderson (Ulster), Mike McCarthy (Leinster); Dominic Ryan (Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster).
Replacements: Rob Herring (Ulster), Michael Bent (Leinster), Nathan White (Connacht), Robbie Diack (Ulster), Eoin McKeon (Connacht), Isaac Boss (Leinster), Noel Reid (Leinster), Craig Gilroy (Ulster).