Two changes for Slam-chasing Poms

Billy Vunipola will start at No 8 for England against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

Vunipola came off the bench in the 61-21 win against Scotland at Murrayfield last weekend.

The only other change to the starting XV sees Anthony Watson on the right wing.

Victory against Ireland will give England back-to-back Grand Slams and a tier-one record 19th consecutive Test win.

Meanwhile, Ireland will be without scrumhalf Conor Murray and fullback Rob Kearney due to injury. Kieran Marmion and Jared Payne replace them in the starting lineup.

England – 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 James Haskell, 6 Maro Itoje, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley (c), 1 Joe Marler.
Subs: 16 Jamie George, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Tom Wood, 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Danny Care, 22 Ben Te’o, 23 Jack Nowell.

Ireland – 15 Jared Payne, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 CJ Stander, 5 Iain Henderson, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 3 Tadgh Furlong, 2 Rory Best (c), 1 Jack McGrath.
Subs: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Cian Healy, 18 John Ryan, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Peter O’Mahony, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Paddy Jackson, 23 Andrew Conway.

Six Nations teams (Round 5)

Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

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