Gregor Townsend has recalled British and Irish Lions backs Duhan van der Merwe and Blair Kinghorn to his starting XV for Saturday’s Six Nations round three clash against Wales at the Principality Stadium, making five changes to the side that reclaimed the Calcutta Cup with a 31-20 victory over England at Murrayfield last weekend.

Key team changes:

• Duhan van der Merwe recalled on the left wing for his first appearance of the 2026 championship, replacing the injured Jamie Dobie
• Blair Kinghorn returns at full-back in place of Tom Jordan, who drops to the bench
• Dave Cherry starts at hooker ahead of George Turner in the only unforced change among the forwards
• Matt Fagerson promoted to number eight after impressive bench cameo against England, with Gregor Brown shifting to blindside flanker
• Max Williamson earns his first Six Nations start in the second row, filling the gap left by Brown’s positional switch
• Jamie Ritchie (tibial plateau fracture) and Jack Dempsey (bicep) ruled out for the remainder of the championship

Townsend puts the band back together

The returns of van der Merwe and Kinghorn represent the most eye-catching selections in a squad reshaped by both tactical choice and necessity. Neither featured in the matchday 23 for either of Scotland’s opening two fixtures against Italy and England, their omissions among the most scrutinised decisions of Townsend’s tenure. Now, with Wales having conceded 102 points in two rounds of bruising defeats, their potent attacking gifts could hardly be better timed.

“Blair was back playing on Sunday night for Toulouse so it’s good to get an outlet when you’ve not been selected,” Townsend said. “He played really well in that game and he’s recovered quickly. Duhan’s trained really well and very much been part of our squad, so there’ll be a freshness around both of them coming back in and huge determination to play well.

“Like any player, you want to be part of the squad and for those players that have been in our squad for a few years, it’ll be tough for them to take. But they’ve backed the team and they understand the reasons why we had different selections going into our opening two games. And now they have an opportunity to represent their country again.”

Van der Merwe: the man Wales will fear most

The return of van der Merwe is the story that will concern Steve Tandy’s coaching team most. Scotland’s all-time leading try-scorer with 35 in 52 Tests — an extraordinary rate of 0.67 per match — has endured the most difficult period of his international career. Injury, wavering confidence and the emergence of rivals Kyle Steyn and Jamie Dobie had seen him drift from the starting XV. He was left out of the marquee autumn Test against the All Blacks entirely and managed only a bench spot for the Argentina fixture.

Yet his pedigree is undeniable. A two-time Lions tourist, he was second leading try-scorer in South Africa in 2021 and top scorer in Australia last summer, recording hat-tricks on both tours. His record against Wales specifically is formidable: two tries on Scotland’s last visit to Cardiff in 2024, when the visitors survived a remarkable Welsh fightback to win 27-26. The Principality Stadium has witnessed both his worst — a subdued display in Scotland’s 2022 defeat — and his devastating best.

Van der Merwe’s combination with Finn Russell has been the making of the wing. The fly-half’s ability to manipulate defences before delivering offloads and cross-kicks into van der Merwe’s hands has produced some of the most spectacular tries in Scottish rugby history. With Russell continuing at ten alongside Ben White at scrum-half, that partnership will be restored for the first time since the 2025 Six Nations.

For a Wales defence that shipped eight tries against France last Sunday, the sight of van der Merwe thundering down the left touchline will be the stuff of nightmares.

Injury triple blow reshapes the pack

While the backline recalls were partly through choice, events in the pack have been dictated by circumstance. Scotland have been dealt a significant blow with the loss of flanker Jamie Ritchie to a tibial plateau fracture and back-rower Jack Dempsey to a bicep injury, both sustained during the Calcutta Cup victory. Neither will feature again this championship. Jamie Dobie’s shoulder injury, while less severe, is also expected to keep the versatile Glasgow man sidelined for several weeks.

The disruption has forced a chain of changes through the forward pack. Matt Fagerson, who made a telling impact off the bench against England and was in contention for man of the match despite entering at half-time, is promoted to the number eight jersey. His brother Zander continues at tighthead prop, meaning the Fagerson siblings start together for the first time this championship.

Gregor Brown shifts from his second-row berth against England to blindside flanker, the position vacated by Ritchie. His Glasgow Warriors team-mate Max Williamson fills the resulting gap in the engine room, earning his first Six Nations start alongside the experienced Scott Cummings. Rory Darge, one of Scotland’s most consistent performers throughout the tournament, remains at openside flanker.

The only unforced change among the forwards sees Dave Cherry preferred to George Turner at hooker, with Turner dropping to the bench. Cherry, the Vannes man who produced that remarkable one-handed offload against Italy in last year’s championship, offers a different skillset around the park.

Core spine remains intact

Despite the upheaval elsewhere, Townsend has kept faith with the spine that orchestrated the demolition of England. Russell and White continue as the half-back pairing, with captain Sione Tuipulotu partnering Huw Jones in midfield — the “Huwipulotu” combination that has become the bedrock of Scotland’s attacking threat.

Steyn, whose outstanding display against England earned him both the Guinness Player of the Match award and a nomination for Weekend MVP, retains his place on the right wing. The Glasgow Warriors man’s selection ahead of Darcy Graham, who drops to the bench, reflects his superb form and ensures Scotland field a back three brimming with pace, power and experience — 167 caps’ worth between Kinghorn, Steyn and van der Merwe.

Townsend has again opted for a 5-3 forwards-to-backs bench split. Lions prop Pierre Schoeman and Elliot Millar Mills provide front-row reinforcements, while the returning Grant Gilchrist — who started the opening defeat to Italy before being dropped — offers experienced second-row cover. Bath’s Josh Bayliss provides versatility across the back row for his first appearance of the campaign.

Among the backs, Tom Jordan, George Horne and Graham complete the 23. Adam Hastings, who featured as a replacement in both opening rounds, misses out entirely.

History urges caution despite Welsh woes

Scotland arrive in Cardiff as heavy favourites against a Welsh side rooted to the bottom of the table, but Townsend was keen to temper expectations.

“I’m sure last week a lot of people thought England were clear favourites, so the game is not about predictions and previous form,” the head coach said. “It’s a lot about what you do in those 80 minutes, and we’ve got to make sure that we get our game out.”

His caution is well founded. Of the eight times Scotland have beaten England in the Six Nations era, they have followed up with defeat on six occasions. It is a pattern that former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton addressed directly in the build-up.

“The big question around Scotland has always been consistency,” Hamilton told Premier Sports. “We know they can produce big performances — we’ve seen that — but this weekend in Wales is about showing they can deliver again, under pressure. Scotland were incredible last weekend, you can hype it up but the reality now is for Scotland to back it up. The next evolution for this Scotland team to be taken seriously is not just about beating England but how they did — it’s actually to win a Championship.”

Hamilton dismissed suggestions the fixture would be straightforward. “This won’t be a walkover. Wales have had their toughest two games of the Six Nations first up. They showed desire and pride against an incredible French team.”

Scotland’s own record at the Principality Stadium offers further reason for vigilance. They have won just once in their last 12 visits — that narrow 27-26 triumph in 2024 when they very nearly squandered a 27-point advantage. Cummings acknowledged the psychological challenge: “In the nicest way possible, we’ve beaten England before. We’ve done this before in the Six Nations quite a few times and we probably haven’t backed it up after that, so that’s definitely a big focus for us.”

Old friends, new rivals

An intriguing personal subplot underpins the tactical battle. Wales head coach Steve Tandy spent more than five years as Townsend’s defence coach before departing to take charge of his home nation last summer. It is a relationship both men clearly value.

“It’ll be great to see him after the game,” Townsend said. “We had a good catch-up at the Six Nations launch in Edinburgh last month. We’ve been sharing messages, not many this week, but in the first couple of games. We think very fondly of Steve. He spent a long time with us, so he’s been a big influence on our players. He was a massive help to me as a coach, and I’m sure after the game, whatever the result, we can have a few beers in the changing room.”

For Scotland, the prize extends well beyond the Doddie Weir Cup, which they are seeking to lift for a fourth consecutive year. Victory would move them firmly into title contention heading into the fallow week, before a daunting final fortnight that takes them to France and then Ireland. A defeat, however, would confirm the familiar accusation that this talented generation cannot sustain momentum when it matters most.

With van der Merwe’s power, Russell’s vision and a pack that bullied England into submission last Saturday, Scotland have the weaponry to win convincingly in Cardiff. The question, as ever, is whether they have the mental fortitude to deploy it.

Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), 14 Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), 13 Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), 12 Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors, capt), 11 Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby), 10 Finn Russell (Bath Rugby, vice-capt), 9 Ben White (Toulon); 1 Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors), 2 Dave Cherry (Vannes), 3 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), 4 Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors), 5 Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), 6 Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors), 7 Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors, vice-capt), 8 Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: 16 George Turner (Harlequins), 17 Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), 18 Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints), 19 Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), 20 Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby), 21 George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), 22 Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears), 23 Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby).

Wales: 15 Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears), 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester Tigers), 13 Eddie James (Scarlets), 12 Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), 11 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby), 10 Sam Costelow (Scarlets), 9 Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby); 1 Rhys Carre (Saracens), 2 Dewi Lake (Ospreys, capt), 3 Tomas Francis (Provence Rugby), 4 Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), 5 Ben Carter (Dragons), 6 Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), 7 Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby), 8 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias (Scarlets), 17 Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers), 18 Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby), 19 Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby), 20 James Botham (Cardiff Rugby), 21 Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), 22 Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), 23 Blair Murray (Scarlets).

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU).
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Adam Leal (RFU).
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU).

Match details: Saturday 21 February 2026, 4.40pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff.

Wales head coach Steve Tandy has made four changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s Six Nations round three clash against Scotland at the Principality Stadium handing a first international cap to Leicester Tigers wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb as he searches for a formula to arrest his side’s catastrophic run of form.

Key team changes:

• Gabriel Hamer-Webb earns first Wales cap on the wing, replacing Ellis Mee
• Sam Costelow returns at fly-half in place of Dan Edwards for his first appearance of the 2026 championship
• Ben Carter makes his first Six Nations start in the second row, with Adam Beard dropped from the matchday 23 entirely
• Taine Plumtree starts at blindside flanker, with Aaron Wainwright shifting to number eight as Olly Cracknell also drops out
• Scotland recall Duhan van der Merwe and Blair Kinghorn but lose Jamie Ritchie, Jack Dempsey and Jamie Dobie to injury

Tandy searches for answers amid deepening crisis

The selection comes against a backdrop of deepening crisis in Welsh rugby. Having conceded 102 points in heavy defeats to England (48-7) and France (54-12) in the opening two rounds — the latter yielding the lowest ever Six Nations attendance in Cardiff at just 57,744 — Tandy finds himself trying to construct foundations while the house crumbles around him. Wales have now lost 13 consecutive Six Nations matches and 23 of their last 25 Tests, statistics that would have been unthinkable a few short years ago.

Hamer-Webb’s unconventional road to a Wales cap

Hamer-Webb’s inclusion is the headline selection. The 25-year-old, who will become the 1,221st man to represent Wales, has taken an unconventional path to a Test debut. Born in Bath and a product of Bath Rugby’s academy, he represented England at under-20 level — indeed lining up against this weekend’s Welsh starters Dafydd Jenkins and Costelow in the 2020 Under-20 Six Nations — before qualifying for Wales through his Cardiff-born mother. A spell at Northampton Saints and a stint with Southland in New Zealand preceded a move to Cardiff Rugby, and he joined Leicester at the start of this season, where he has made eight appearances.

“Gabe has really impressed me in the way he’s attacked training, the way he’s learnt, the way he’s adapted and the way he’s just settled into the squad,” said Tandy. “His training efforts have been outstanding. When you dig into his background at Leicester, even when he wasn’t in the team, everyone said he was an amazing team player. He also kept pushing, he never gave up and then when he had his Leicester opportunity he took it with two hands and now this opportunity has come up and it’s thoroughly deserved.”

Costelow recalled as fly-half merry-go-round continues

The change at fly-half is perhaps equally significant. Scarlets’ Costelow, who has not started a Wales Test since the defeat to Japan in Kitakyushu last July, replaces Ospreys’ Dan Edwards, who has worn the number 10 jersey for the last seven consecutive matches. It is a switch fraught with risk. Costelow has started 11 Tests for Wales and, remarkably, has had nine different centre combinations outside him. He is widely regarded as a confidence player, and confidence has been in desperately short supply in the Welsh camp of late.

Tandy was diplomatic about Edwards’ omission. “Sam has been doing really well and, looking at his games against Northampton, Ulster and Bristol, he has responded to not being involved in the autumn,” he said. “His kicking game is outstanding and defensively he is really good, but also the way that he attacks the game. He’s an all-round good footballer. Dan has done well, he is a young man who has played a lot of rugby and with a six-day turnaround, it’s a good opportunity to freshen the team up a little bit.”

Beard axed and back row reshuffled in forward overhaul

In the pack, the most eye-catching change sees Adam Beard dropped from the matchday 23 entirely, with Dragons lock Ben Carter promoted for his first Six Nations start. Beard had come under considerable scrutiny after a miscued kick led directly to a France try in last weekend’s 54-12 hammering, a moment that saw television cameras capture Tandy reacting furiously on the touchline. The head coach was careful not to pin the omission solely on that incident. “That’s not the ultimate factor, there are a lot of things that you take into consideration,” he said. “He is a seasoned international, he’s done some amazing things for Wales and you are never going to drop him on just that one moment. We feel Ben is going to add value to the game.”

Carter, who has won 16 caps but started only eight Tests since his 2021 debut, partners Dafydd Jenkins, who continues in a second-row bereft of genuine starting options following Teddy Williams’ injury.

The back-row reshuffle sees Taine Plumtree take the blindside flanker berth from Cracknell, with Wainwright reverting to number eight — the position he occupied in the opening round defeat to England. The continued absence of injured captain Jac Morgan remains keenly felt. Morgan’s rounded game essentially fills all the voids in this Welsh back row: a hefty carrier, a breakdown threat and a genuinely world-class operator. Without him, Wales have struggled to find the right balance, and the fact that Plumtree has accumulated six yellow cards in 14 club appearances this season will hardly ease concerns about discipline.

Alex Mann continues at openside flanker, with Tandy appearing content to forgo a traditional jackal threat in favour of players who can live with the pace Scotland are expected to bring. Tommy Reffell’s continued exclusion from the wider squad remains a puzzle to many observers.

On the bench, Freddie Thomas, James Botham and Blair Murray are all in line for their first appearances of the tournament, with Jarrod Evans retained as the impact option at fly-half.

“There are some changes to the team this week,” Tandy said. “We feel this is the best team to take on Scotland and with a six-day turnaround you want some freshness as well going into the game. It’s our third game of the championship. We want to build on our performance. We want to see more consistent moments and back-to-back moments, which we feel if we get we’ll be closer to getting the outcome we want from games.”

Scotland arrive buoyed but battered

Gregor Townsend’s visitors will present a formidable challenge despite their own selection headaches. Scotland have made five changes to the side that reclaimed the Calcutta Cup with an impressive 31-20 victory over England at Murrayfield last weekend, three of them forced by significant injuries.

The championship is over for flanker Jamie Ritchie, who suffered a tibial plateau fracture, and back-rower Jack Dempsey, who has a bicep injury. Jamie Dobie’s shoulder problem, while less severe, is also expected to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the tournament. It is a considerable blow to Scotland’s pack resources.

However, Townsend has been able to recall two of his most potent attacking weapons. Duhan van der Merwe, surprisingly omitted from both matchday squads against Italy and England, returns on the left wing, while Blair Kinghorn — who scored twice in last year’s Doddie Weir Cup fixture — comes in at full-back in place of Tom Jordan, who drops to the bench. Kyle Steyn, named man of the match in the Calcutta Cup victory, retains his place on the right wing.

The experienced Dave Cherry replaces George Turner at hooker, while Max Williamson starts in the second row alongside Scott Cummings. Matt Fagerson, who made a telling impact off the bench against England, is rewarded with the number eight jersey, with Gregor Brown shifting to blindside flanker. Captain Sione Tuipulotu, Finn Russell and Huw Jones all continue.

Scotland arrive in Cardiff with history sounding a note of caution. They ended a 22-year wait for a victory at the Principality Stadium in 2024, but almost squandered a 27-point lead on that occasion. More broadly, of the eight times Scotland have beaten England in the Six Nations era, they have gone on to lose their next match on six of those occasions. Second-row Scott Cummings acknowledged as much in the build-up: “In the nicest way possible, we’ve beaten England before. We’ve done this before in the Six Nations quite a few times and we probably haven’t backed it up after that, so that’s definitely a big focus for us.”

The bigger picture

For Wales, this fixture represents their most realistic opportunity for a victory in this championship, and arguably their best chance since beating Scotland at this ground in February 2022 — their last home win in the Six Nations. Tandy was previously Townsend’s defence coach, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the tactical battle.

The Principality Stadium’s famous atmosphere, however diminished by dwindling attendances, remains a factor. Tandy spoke warmly of what the Welsh public can bring. “The Principality Stadium Wales-Scotland games are amazing,” he said. “The atmosphere is electric and we know what our fans bring and when the Welsh public get behind us it’s just an amazing feeling.”
Whether four changes are sufficient to transform the fortunes of a side that has haemorrhaged 302 points across its last six matches is another question entirely. As the WalesOnline analysis noted, Tandy is “a man trying to build a jigsaw puzzle with, through no fault of his own, little idea what the final picture looks like.” Every time one part of the puzzle appears to slot into place, other pieces refuse to fit.
Yet this match, against a Scottish side missing key forwards and with a patchy record of backing up big performances, offers something Wales have been sorely lacking: genuine hope.

Wales: 15 Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears), 14 Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Leicester Tigers), 13 Eddie James (Scarlets), 12 Joe Hawkins (Scarlets), 11 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby), 10 Sam Costelow (Scarlets), 9 Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby); 1 Rhys Carre (Saracens), 2 Dewi Lake (Ospreys, capt), 3 Tomas Francis (Provence Rugby), 4 Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), 5 Ben Carter (Dragons), 6 Taine Plumtree (Scarlets), 7 Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby), 8 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias (Scarlets), 17 Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers), 18 Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby), 19 Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby), 20 James Botham (Cardiff Rugby), 21 Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), 22 Jarrod Evans (Harlequins), 23 Blair Murray (Scarlets).

Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), 14 Kyle Steyn (Glasgow Warriors), 13 Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), 12 Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors, capt), 11 Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby), 10 Finn Russell (Bath Rugby), 9 Ben White (Toulon); 1 Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors), 2 Dave Cherry (Vannes), 3 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), 4 Max Williamson (Glasgow Warriors), 5 Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), 6 Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors), 7 Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors), 8 Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: 16 George Turner (Harlequins), 17 Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby), 18 Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints), 19 Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), 20 Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby), 21 George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), 22 Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears), 23 Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby).

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU).
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Adam Leal (RFU).
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU).

Match details:
Saturday 21 February 2026, 4.40pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff.

Steve Borthwick has made three changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s pivotal Guinness Six Nations clash against Ireland at Allianz Stadium, handing a first Test start to the irrepressible Henry Pollock at number eight as England seek to salvage their championship campaign following last weekend’s chastening 31-20 defeat at Murrayfield. The selection reflects the management’s urgent desire for a gear change, with Tom Curry returning at blindside flanker and Ollie Lawrence recalled at outside centre in his first appearance of this year’s tournament.

Key points:

• Henry Pollock starts at No.8 for the first time in his Test career, with Ben Earl shifting to openside flanker
• Tom Curry recalled at blindside flanker; Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill drop to the bench
• Ollie Lawrence returns at outside centre for his first appearance of the 2026 championship; Tommy Freeman moves back to the right wing
• Marcus Smith and Jack van Poortvliet replace Fin Smith and Ben Spencer among the replacements on a 6-2 bench split
• Captain Maro Itoje wins his 100th cap, becoming only the ninth England player to reach the milestone
• Henry Arundell retained on the left wing after escaping a ban for his Murrayfield red card

The match carries enormous significance for both sides. England’s 12-match winning streak, built painstakingly over the past year, was comprehensively dismantled by a rampant Scotland in Edinburgh, where Henry Arundell’s two yellow cards – resulting in a 20-minute red – set the tone for a disastrous afternoon. Ireland, meanwhile, arrive at Twickenham having recovered from their own opening round defeat to France in Paris with a hard-fought 20-13 victory over Italy in Dublin. With France sitting comfortably atop the standings on 10 points after two bonus-point victories, both England and Ireland know that another defeat would effectively end their title aspirations.

Borthwick unleashes his ‘bundle of energy’

The most eye-catching selection is Pollock’s elevation from impact replacement to starter. The 21-year-old Northampton Saints back-rower has earned all seven of his previous caps from the bench, but his electric performances in that role – not least his influential cameo at Murrayfield, where he registered a crucial turnover near his own line and carried with more dynamism than most of those who had started – have made his promotion feel inevitable. His journey from teenage prospect to first-choice Test starter has been remarkably swift, encompassing a British and Irish Lions tour to Australia last summer and a growing reputation as one of the most exciting young forwards in world rugby.

Borthwick was typically effusive when discussing his latest selection gamble. “Henry’s full of energy, full of character and full of beans and he’s already achieved so much in a very short space of time,” the head coach said. “He’s larger than life and each new level you challenge him with, he seems to thrive. As a player, he gets people excited, he gets people jumping up and down with joy. He can bring a euphoria to people that not many players can.”

The head coach revealed that he first met Pollock during a visit to Franklin’s Gardens when the back-rower was barely out of school. “I was stood in the car park and this bundle of energy just bounced up to me. Typically when an 18-year-old meets the England head coach for the first time they are usually on the shy and retiring side. The first thing he said was: ‘How are you, mate?’ I thought: ‘Right, you’re different.’”

A reshaped back row built for pace and impact

Pollock’s promotion necessitates a reshaped back row, with the ever-reliable Ben Earl – England’s most consistent performer this championship – moving to openside flanker. Earl carried more than 20 times against Scotland, and Borthwick wants Pollock to match that ball-carrying intensity. Tom Curry, who like Pollock has featured as part of the “Pom Squad” off the bench in England’s first two matches, comes in at blindside, with Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill dropping to the replacements. The change means Borthwick persists with his blueprint of selecting three specialist sevens, though Pollock’s searing pace and poacher’s instinct give the combination a different dimension. In his past five starts for Northampton, all at number eight, Pollock has scored six tries – a record that underlines where in the back row he has the most impact.

Lawrence returns as Freeman experiment is paused

The other significant alteration comes in midfield, where Borthwick has paused the experiment of deploying the aerial specialist Freeman at outside centre. Lawrence, who missed the opening round through a knee injury, fills the 13 jersey after a standout performance against New Zealand in the autumn, with Freeman returning to the right wing in place of Tom Roebuck, who drops out of the squad entirely. The move addresses two weaknesses exposed at Murrayfield: England’s struggles in the air and the lack of midfield punch. Freeman’s ability to compete for the high ball – arguably England’s greatest aerial weapon – was sorely missed on the wing, while Lawrence’s powerful ball-carrying offers a direct running threat that the midfield lacked against Scotland.

Lawrence himself acknowledged the competitive nature of the selection battle. “It is tough. When I came in the autumn, Tommy moved to 13 and there was a bit of ‘that’s another person I am competing with,’” the Bath centre told BBC Rugby Union Weekly. “It’s not frustrating but it’s one of those things where you are knocking on the door and you have to wait your turn sometimes.”

Arundell reprieved as Borthwick backs underperformers

Arundell’s retention on the left wing will raise some eyebrows given his Murrayfield dismissal, where a first yellow card for failing to release was followed by a 20-minute red for a dangerous aerial challenge on Kyle Steyn. However, a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday determined that the sending off was sufficient punishment, clearing the 23-year-old to play. Borthwick made it clear he is backing those who underperformed in Edinburgh. “There are players in the team this week who are playing because I’m backing them to put in a performance that they’ll want to put in after last week,” he said, adding slightly ominously: “If the game had gone the way we wanted, perhaps I would have changed them as well.”

The bench also sees notable changes, with Marcus Smith and Jack van Poortvliet replacing Fin Smith and Ben Spencer as the back options on a 6-2 split. Smith’s recall is significant; the Harlequins playmaker has a taste for the big occasion against Ireland, having famously kicked a dramatic late drop goal to seal a 23-22 victory at Twickenham in the 2025 championship. Andy Farrell, now returned to the Ireland helm after his Lions secondment, will know exactly what Smith offers having coached several of England’s squad on that tour of Australia.

A century of caps for England’s towering presence

Saturday’s occasion will belong, first and foremost, to Maro Itoje. The Saracens lock will lead England out for his 100th cap, becoming only the ninth man to reach the milestone for his country. Itoje’s career has been a model of consistency: 95 of his previous 99 caps have been starts, while he has won more than twice as many turnovers as any England player since 2023. The 31-year-old missed the start of England’s training camp in Girona to attend his mother Florence’s funeral in Nigeria, lending further emotional weight to what promises to be a deeply personal afternoon.

“To reach 100 caps for England is a remarkable achievement and speaks volumes about Maro’s consistency and professionalism over many years,” said Borthwick. “He leads through his actions every day, sets the standard for others and cares deeply about representing his country. We’re all incredibly proud of what he has achieved, and I know it will be a special day for him and his family.”

A must-win fixture for both sides

The broader championship picture adds further intrigue. France lead the standings after two comprehensive victories – a 36-14 dismantling of Ireland in Paris on the tournament’s opening night and a 54-12 demolition of Wales in Cardiff – and appear to be the team to beat once more. Scotland sit second on six points after their triumph over England, with both England and Italy on five and Ireland languishing on just four points, having failed to secure bonus points in either of their opening two matches. Wales, winless and pointless, prop up the table.

For England, a defeat on Saturday would leave them with an almost impossible mountain to climb in the remaining two rounds. For Ireland, who looked a shadow of their former selves in losing to France and were unconvincing against Italy, the equation is similarly stark. It has the makings of a knockout fixture squeezed into the championship’s third week – and Borthwick’s selection suggests he has no intention of approaching it conservatively.

The question, ultimately, is whether Pollock’s boundless energy and Curry’s proven class can inject the dynamism England so desperately lacked in Edinburgh. Borthwick has placed his faith in youth, pace and ambition. As the head coach noted, channelling his inner Winnie-the-Pooh enthusiast when describing Pollock: “I will challenge him to express himself, be himself, while also bringing the self-sacrifice that a team sport needs. He does both wonderfully well.”

England XV to face Ireland
15 Freddie Steward; 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Henry Arundell; 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Joe Heyes; 4 Maro Itoje (capt), 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Tom Curry, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Henry Pollock.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Sam Underhill, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 Marcus Smith.

Kick-off: Saturday 21 February, 2.10pm GMT, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.