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Te'o handed first England start, bench role for Vunipola

By Peter Thompson
England centre Ben Te’o

Ben Te'o will make his first England start and Mako Vunipola has been named among the replacements for the Six Nations clash with Italy at Twickenham on Sunday.

Eddie Jones has made four changes to the side which started the dramatic victory over Wales in Cardiff, with centre Te'o coming in after Jonathan Joseph was left out of the squad.

Scrum-half Danny Care, flanker James Haskell and wing Jonny May are also promoted from the bench in place of Ben Youngs, Jack Clifford and Jack Nowell.

Youngs, Clifford and Nowell are joined among the replacements by prop Vunipola, who made his comeback from a knee injury for Saracens last week.

England head coach Jones said: "We have had a good two-week preparation for Italy and we're ready to go,

"We trained very well in the city last week and this week the training has been very impressive. The boys are really on song, we have had great competition for places, and we've picked a very strong 23 to play against Italy."

England: Mike Brown, Jonny May, Ben Te'o, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly, George Ford, Danny Care; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley (captain), Dan Cole, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, James Haskell, Nathan Hughes.

Replacements: Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Kyle Sinckler, Tom Wood, Jack Clifford, Ben Youngs, Henry Slade, Jack Nowell.