"Slade will start 12" - Eddie Jones likely England XV with SEVEN players ruled out - Ruck

“Slade will start 12” – Eddie Jones likely England XV with SEVEN players ruled out

England head coach Eddie Jones must now decide on his starting line-up.

The Aussie has confirmed his 36-man squad for England’s tilt at winning the 2022 Six Nations but will be without up to SEVEN senior players for the trip to Murrayfield.

Here, RUCK predicts what the England team will look like for the June 13 opener following Jones’ press conference yesterday.

BACK-THREE:

  • 15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)
  • 14. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 42 caps)
  • 11. Max Malins (Saracens, 7 caps)

Jones said: “Watching him play on Saturday night for Exeter against Glasgow, he was bouncing out of tackles, he had huge workrate, huge appetite for the ball. That’s the sort of player we remember.”

CENTRES:

  • 13. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 4 caps)
  • 12. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 38 caps)

Jones said: “We’ve got other experienced players and we may move Sladey (Henry Slade) in from 13 to 12.

“It’s important for any 10 in the world whether that’s Smith, whether that’s Finn Russell or Ntamack for France, it’s important that the 12 is a good communicator and takes some of the pressure away from the 10, as well as giving good information and assisting in the defence role.

“So, the Marcus situation is no different from any other team in the world.”

Henry Slade of England kicks the conversion during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Tonga at Twickenham Stoop on 6 November 2021. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK

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