Halfbacks
10. George Ford (Sale Sharks)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Following on from Owen Farrell’s suspension, we expect to see George Ford lead the line in Dublin. Ford orchestrated the comeback victory against Wales at Twickenham, and would re-unite with former Leicester Tigers halfback partner Ben Youngs in a duo that Borthwick has tried and tested in the past.
Marcus Smith is dropped to the bench for this test, with the returning Alex Mitchell accompanying him on the bench. Mitchell gets the nod after Jack van Poortvliet’s untimely injury, in what is an opportunity for the Saints man to showcase his talents against tier one opposition.
Front Row
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears) (C)
2. Jamie George (Saracens)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
In the absence of Owen Farrell, we have selected Ellis Genge to captain the side out from loosehead prop. In what could be his third test match with the armband, Genge will be eager to record his first victory at the helm. He’s joined by first-choice hooker Jamie George, with Theo Dan on the bench, and Jack Walker still on the injury list. Will Stuart is retained after two impressive outings in the back-to-back matches against Wales.
Second Row
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens)
5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
The second row partnership of Maro Itoje and George Martin is likely to return at the Aviva Stadium, with David Ribbans on the bench. Martin’s Leicester Tigers teammate Ollie Chessum did run out against the selected England team, in the warm-ups ahead of the match at Twickenham. However, similarly to Tuilagi, Borthwick may want to rest the lock ahead of the match against Fiji, to ensure his full fitness.
