England are hoping to welcome back the cavalry for next week’s Calcutta Cup with Steve Borthwick revealing Ollie Lawrence could make his comeback against Scotland at Murrayfield. The head coach said Fin Smith will be available while Tom Roebuck is also in contention to return then after the Sale winger was deemed not quite ready to face Wales on Saturday.
Lawrence’s return from a knee injury bolsters England’s options at centre. Tommy Freeman has been deployed there against Wales, just as he was in Cardiff last year and against Australia in the autumn, but Lawrence shone alongside Fraser Dingwall in England’s statement victory over the All Blacks.
Lawrence was one of five players England were planning on taking to Girona for their warm-weather training camp before it was deemed that the loosehead prop Fin Baxter requires surgery and Ben Curry would be better served continuing his recovery from a hamstring injury with Sale. “Ollie Lawrence is gradually increasing the load of where he needs to be and he’s looking good, maybe a chance next week, but it’s going to be tight,” said Borthwick.
Roebuck was only “a few days away” when Borthwick named his team to face Wales on Monday. Smith has been blighted by a calf injury, but he made a return to full training on Monday and comes into the mix for Scotland, as does his Northampton team-mate George Furbank, who has successfully reintegrated back into the squad after numerous injuries including a broken arm and persistent calf problem.
Antoine Dupont will return to captain defending champions France for Thursday evening's Guinness Six Nations curtain-raiser against Ireland in Paris.
The Toulouse scrum-half has not played at international level since rupturing the ACL in his right knee during Les Bleus' 42-27 win in Dublin last February.
Head coach Fabien Galthie raised some eyebrows by leaving centre Gael Fickou and wing Damian Penaud out of his squad for the championship but has named a formidable backline.
Galthie also overlooked former captain Gregory Alldritt for his squad before veteran prop Uini Atonio was forced to retire due to a heart problem. Anthony Jelonch takes Alldritt's place at number eight.
Galthie told a press conference: "Antoine Dupont gives us more, that is for sure.
"That also places demands on the rest of the team, to raise our work rate in order to meet the ambition he has and that is why he is our captain."
Ireland head coach, Andy Farrell, meanwhile has backed Jacob Stockdale to make the most of his first Guinness Six Nations appearance in five years after being selected ahead of James Lowe.
With Hugo Keenan sidelined, Stockdale was touted as an option at full-back but Jamie Osborne will wear the number 15 jersey at Stade de France for his first outing since damaging a shoulder in the autumn win over Japan.
Ireland are hampered by a host of injury issues, notably at prop.
Jeremy Loughman has been given the nod at loosehead in the absence of Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle, with Thomas Clarkson starting at tighthead.
Brothers Sam and Cian Prendergast will start together at Test level for the first time.
Leinster fly-half Sam, 22, has been retained ahead of Jack Crowley and Harry Byrne, while Connacht captain Cian, 25, lines up at blindside flanker.
"It's lovely," Farrell said of the Prendergasts. "You can tell that they try to keep it on the down low in front of all their team-mates, but I'm sure behind the scenes, along with their parents, they're as proud as punch."
France: Ramos; Attissogbe, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Dupont (capt); Gros, Marchand, Aldegheri, Ollivon, Guillard, Cros, Jegou, Jelonch. Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Montagne, Auradou, Meafou, Nouchi, Serin, Gourgues.
Ireland: Osborne; O’Brien, Ringrose, McCloskey, Stockdale; S Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Loughman, Sheehan, Clarkson, McCarthy, Beirne, C Prendergast, Van der Flier, Doris (capt). Replacements: Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, Ryan, Conan, Timoney, Casey, Crowley.
“It’s a while since we’ve seen him in camp,” said Borthwick. “You can see what a class player he is and what he’s brought on to the training field. Some of the touches he has brought into the training games have been terrific.
“It’s great that another player who adds versatility is coming into the selection mix, who has the ability to play 15, 10 and on the wing. I’m really pleased to see George Furbank back.”
Baxter has been ruled out of the Six Nations as a result of his surgery, leaving England light at loosehead prop. Ellis Genge starts against Wales while Bevan Rodd, who has 10 caps, is on the bench. The uncapped Emmanuel Iyogun is the other loosehead prop in the training squad. Curry could yet feature in the later part of the tournament after taking advice from a specialist to undergo further treatment.
