Manu Tuilagi and Ben Youngs are set to return to England's starting XV for Sunday's Six Nations clash with Ireland at Twickenham, according to the Mail Online.
The Leicester duo will take over from outside centre Jonathan Joseph and scrum-half Willi Heinz when head coach Eddie Jones names his side late on Friday morning.
That means England will continue with Owen Farrell at centre with George Ford at fly-half.
Joe Marler and George Furbank are carrying knocks but are expected to be fit to start.
ENGLAND (predicted): G Furbank (Northampton); J May (Leicester), M Tuilagi (Leicester), O Farrell (Saracens. capt), E Daly (Saracens); G Ford (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); J Marler (Harlequins), J George (Saracens), K Sinckler (Harlequins); M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens); C Lawes (Northampton), T Curry (Sale), S Underhill (Bath).
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ENGLAND NICKNAMES
MAKO VUNIPOLA (SNORLAX)
In England camp he shares a room with brother Billy. But when the No.8 is out injured teammates can find sharing with the loosehead something of an experience given his liking for sleeping. Hence Snorlax after the hulking Pokémon with narcolepsy.
Mako Vunipola of England takes part in a training session during England Rugby Media Access at Pennyhill Park Hotel on August 23, 2019, Bagshot, England. (Photo by Phil Mingo/PPAUK)
JACK NOWELL (KIKO)
“Gonzalo Camacho was at Exeter when there was a portly Argentine soap actor called Kiko and let’s just say I came back from injury a little lardy,” said the England star.
ELLIOT DALY (BRIEFCASE)
The England star got his nickname after turned up at his first Wasps training session in his Whitgift school uniform and carrying you know what!
MORE ENGAND NICKNAMES ON PAGE 2
OWEN FARRELL (FAZ/LITTLE FAZ)
Used to predominantly be Little Faz but now his Dad, Andy, has jetted off to work for Ireland he seems to have shaken that part of his nickname.
Dejected looking Owen Farrell, Captain of England Rugby after the Guinness Six Nations Championship match between Wales and England at Principality Stadium on February 23, 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
JONATHAN JOSEPH (ET FINGERS)
Got his nickname while playing for the London Irish youth team because of his ability to grip the rugby ball one-handed during the game.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 10: Jonathan Joseph of England evades Manuel Blengio of Uruguay during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Uruguay at Manchester City Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
MARO ITOJE (THE PEARL)
Called ‘The Pearl’ by Saracens and England team-mates for a perceived preciousness to the sides he plays in.
Maro Itoje of Saracens celebrates the win during the Aviva Premiership Final between Exeter Chiefs and Saracens at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on May 26. - PHOTO: Cameron Geran/PPAUK/Aviva
JOE MARLER (CROISSANT)
“Because the boys think I have a nose that looks like a French pastry.”
Dan Cole of England talks with Joe Marler of England of England after the Summer International match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on the 24th August 2019. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK.
COURTNEY LAWES (CORPSE OR BIG GOOSE)
George North announced to the media the nicknames of his Northampton team-mate but not the reasons behind them. You can work out tipping the tape measure to 6ft 7in is behind Big Goose while Corpse is a play on his name.
Aviva Player of the Month for September is Courtney Lawes of Northampton Saints who poses with his September Aviva Player of the Month Award on Tuesday 10th October 2017, Franklin's Gardens, Weedon Road, Northampton, England (Photo: Phil Mingo/Pinnacle/Aviva)
JAMIE GEORGE (GIRTHMISTER/STAVROS)
The England star got these nicknames early in his International career due to his size. Seems a bit harsh.
BAGSHOT, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Jamie George looks on during the England training session at Pennyhill Park on September 22, 2015 in Bagshot, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
HENRY SLADE (RUSTY/SALDEY)
“There are a few. There’s the obvious Sladey. I also get called Rusty because part of my hair, it’s not ginger but it goes copper in the summer.”
Elliot Daly of England, Henry Slade of England and Jack Nowell of England during the Quilter International Match between England and South Africa at Twickenham Stadium, Richmond, London on November 3. - PHOTO: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
JOE LAUNCHBURY (LAUNCHERS)
Most boring nickname on the list by a mile.
Dejection for Joe Launchbury of England Rugby and the rest of the England players after the Guinness Six Nations Championship match between Wales and England at Principality Stadium on February 23, 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK
BILLY VUNIPOLA (BIG BILLY)
“Billy is my nickname because my real name is pretty long and is tough for people to pronounce. So it’s just something vague like ‘Big Billy’.”
Billy Vunipola of England during the Summer International match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on the 24th August 2019. Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK.
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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