Dan Cole and Ben Youngs have both been named in the England starting XV for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations game against Wales at Principality Stadium (kick-off 4.50pm).
Leicester Tigers prop Cole will win his 70th England cap after playing the full 80 minutes of the 19-16 win against France on the opening weekend of the championship.
His Tigers teammate Youngs, meanwhile, will win his 67th cap as England look to extend their run of 15 straight wins, a national record.
Head coach Eddie Jones makes two changes to the starting XV that defeated France at Twickenham last weekend. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) starts on the right wing with Jack Clifford (Harlequins) named at flanker.
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints) and Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) are named as replacements on an otherwise unchanged bench.
“It’s been a great week of focused preparation and we can’t wait to play Wales,” said Jones. “Playing Wales in Cardiff is one of the biggest games in world rugby and we’re excited. These are the games you want to be part of as a player and a coach.
“It’s a game that is going to be decided on the basics of the game. You do the fundamentals of the game well and you win the game of rugby. We have a young team eager to play well at the great Principality Stadium.
“We don’t need extra motivation this week; we play Test rugby because we want to be the best for England. Every game for us is important and our supporters, and Wales is our next game so it’s the most important.”
Wales have have made two front row changes to the side that beat Italy last weekend but there is no place in the Wales squad for Tigers fly-half Owen Williams. Props Rob Evans and Tomas Francis both come into the starting XV. Taulupe Faletau is the solitary personnel change and he is named on the bench.
Welford Road will host big-screen coverage of the game after the final whistle in the Aviva Premiership fixture between Tigers and Gloucester Rugby.
The big screen will be hosted on the plaza outside the Holland & Barrett Stand and there will be picnic benches, patio heaters and food units in that area for supporters.
Tickets for Saturday are still available from the Tigers ticket office. Book in person at Welford Road, phone 0116 319 8888 (option 2)(open 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday) or click here to book online any time.
England match-day 23 for the RBS 6 Nations game against Wales
15 Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins, 56 caps)
14 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 19 caps)
13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 30 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens, 48 caps)
11 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 9 caps)
10 George Ford (Bath Rugby, 31 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 66 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 47 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints, 80 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 70 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 38 caps)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 54 caps)
6 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 8 caps)
7 Jack Clifford (Harlequins, 8 caps)
8 Nathan Hughes (Wasps, 4 caps)
Replacements
16 Jamie George (Saracens, 13 caps)
17 Matt Mullan (Wasps, 14 caps)
18 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 4 caps)
19 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 46 caps)
20 James Haskell (Wasps, 71 caps)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins, 67 caps)
22 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, 4 caps)
23 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 23 caps)
Wales match-day 23
15 Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon) (67 caps)
14 George North (Northampton Saints) (66 caps)
13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (60 caps)
12 Scott Williams (Scarlets) (42 caps)
11 Liam Williams (Scarlets) (39 caps)
10 Dan Biggar (Ospreys) (52 caps)
9 Rhys Webb (Ospreys) (24 caps)
1 Rob Evans (Scarlets) (13 caps)
2 Ken Owens (Scarlets) (46 caps)
3 Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (18 caps)
4 Jake Ball (Scarlets) (22 caps)
5 Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys)(106 caps) (captain)
6 Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) (70 caps)
7 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (47 caps)
8 Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby) (13 caps)
Replacements:
16 Scott Baldwin (Ospreys) (29 caps)
17 Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (8 caps)
18 Samson Lee (Scarlets) (30 caps)
19 Cory Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons) (4 caps)
20 Taulupe Faletau (Bath) (62 caps)
21 Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (22 caps)
22 Sam Davies (Ospreys) (4 caps)
23 Jamie Roberts (Harlequins) (87 caps)
Leicester Tigers prop Cole will win his 70th England cap after playing the full 80 minutes of the 19-16 win against France on the opening weekend of the championship.
His Tigers teammate Youngs, meanwhile, will win his 67th cap as England look to extend their run of 15 straight wins, a national record.
Head coach Eddie Jones makes two changes to the starting XV that defeated France at Twickenham last weekend. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) starts on the right wing with Jack Clifford (Harlequins) named at flanker.
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints) and Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) are named as replacements on an otherwise unchanged bench.
“It’s been a great week of focused preparation and we can’t wait to play Wales,” said Jones. “Playing Wales in Cardiff is one of the biggest games in world rugby and we’re excited. These are the games you want to be part of as a player and a coach.
“It’s a game that is going to be decided on the basics of the game. You do the fundamentals of the game well and you win the game of rugby. We have a young team eager to play well at the great Principality Stadium.
“We don’t need extra motivation this week; we play Test rugby because we want to be the best for England. Every game for us is important and our supporters, and Wales is our next game so it’s the most important.”
Wales have have made two front row changes to the side that beat Italy last weekend but there is no place in the Wales squad for Tigers fly-half Owen Williams. Props Rob Evans and Tomas Francis both come into the starting XV. Taulupe Faletau is the solitary personnel change and he is named on the bench.
Welford Road will host big-screen coverage of the game after the final whistle in the Aviva Premiership fixture between Tigers and Gloucester Rugby.
The big screen will be hosted on the plaza outside the Holland & Barrett Stand and there will be picnic benches, patio heaters and food units in that area for supporters.
Tickets for Saturday are still available from the Tigers ticket office. Book in person at Welford Road, phone 0116 319 8888 (option 2)(open 9am-5pm Monday-Saturday) or click here to book online any time.
England match-day 23 for the RBS 6 Nations game against Wales
15 Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins, 56 caps)
14 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 19 caps)
13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 30 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens, 48 caps)
11 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 9 caps)
10 George Ford (Bath Rugby, 31 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 66 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 47 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints, 80 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 70 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 38 caps)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 54 caps)
6 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 8 caps)
7 Jack Clifford (Harlequins, 8 caps)
8 Nathan Hughes (Wasps, 4 caps)
Replacements
16 Jamie George (Saracens, 13 caps)
17 Matt Mullan (Wasps, 14 caps)
18 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 4 caps)
19 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 46 caps)
20 James Haskell (Wasps, 71 caps)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins, 67 caps)
22 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, 4 caps)
23 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 23 caps)
Wales match-day 23
15 Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon) (67 caps)
14 George North (Northampton Saints) (66 caps)
13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (60 caps)
12 Scott Williams (Scarlets) (42 caps)
11 Liam Williams (Scarlets) (39 caps)
10 Dan Biggar (Ospreys) (52 caps)
9 Rhys Webb (Ospreys) (24 caps)
1 Rob Evans (Scarlets) (13 caps)
2 Ken Owens (Scarlets) (46 caps)
3 Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (18 caps)
4 Jake Ball (Scarlets) (22 caps)
5 Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys)(106 caps) (captain)
6 Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) (70 caps)
7 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (47 caps)
8 Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby) (13 caps)
Replacements:
16 Scott Baldwin (Ospreys) (29 caps)
17 Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (8 caps)
18 Samson Lee (Scarlets) (30 caps)
19 Cory Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons) (4 caps)
20 Taulupe Faletau (Bath) (62 caps)
21 Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (22 caps)
22 Sam Davies (Ospreys) (4 caps)
23 Jamie Roberts (Harlequins) (87 caps)
