Borthwick announces England Six Nations team for Calcutta Cup LIVE

Tuilagi, a veteran of 46 caps and a regular choice for the Red Rose for much of the past decade, has not even been named in Borthwick’s first 23-man squad.

Joe Marchant takes the 31-year-old’s place in the England line-up, with Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell to resume their playmaking axis for Saturday’s Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham.

“There are few fixtures in the rugby calendar that excite both players and supporters alike more than the annual Six Nations meeting of the Auld Enemy as they battle for the honour of lifting the Calcutta Cup.” said head coach Steve Borthwick.

“Another packed Twickenham will witness the start of the next chapter of English rugby in one of the most keenly contested tournaments in the world. There is no doubt that this England team shares the supporters’ sense of eager anticipation.

“To a man, the players are determined to play with the commitment, fight and desire that is at the very heart of representing England, the sort of passion that our tremendous supporters rightly expect.”

Steve Borthwick’s new defence coach, Kevin Sinfield, says he is “delighted” with England’s backline options despite injuries to Elliot Daly, Henry Slade and Dan Kelly.

“Sometimes the sum of the parts is greater than the whole,” Sinfield said. “In getting those right combinations, there are some players on our side who enable players to go from a seven out of 10 to an eight out of 10 just by being there and their influence.

“There’s a lot more that goes into selecting a side than just what you guys see. It’s what we feel and what we see 24-7. It’s not just what happens on the grass, that leadership element is really important.”

Steve Borthwick has named his first England starting XV as head coach and as expected Manu Tuilagi is left out of the matchday 23.

Owen Farrell and Marcus Smith will continue their 10-12 combination in England’s midfield, while Lewis Ludlam, Ben Curry and Alex Dombrandt comprise a new-look back-row.

Joe Marchant is recalled to outside centre ahead of both Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence while Ollie Chessum partners Maro Itoje in the second row.

15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)

14. Max Malins (Saracens, 14 caps)

13. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 13 caps)

12. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 101 caps) (C)

11. Ollie Hassell-Collins (London Irish, uncapped)

10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 17 caps)

9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)

1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 43 caps) (VC)

2. Jamie George (Saracens, 72 caps)

3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 56 caps)

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 62 caps)

5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)

6. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 14 caps)

7. Ben Curry (Sale Sharks,1 cap)

8. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 9 caps)

16. Jack Walker (Harlequins, uncapped)

17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 74 caps)

18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 95 caps)

19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 8 caps)

20. Ben Earl (Saracens, 13 caps)

21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 121 caps)

22. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)

23. Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 51 caps)

Round 1 – Saturday 4 February

England vs Scotland, 4.45pm, Twickenham Stadium, London (ITV)

Round 2 – Sunday 12 February

England vs Italy, 3pm, Twickenham Stadium, London (ITV)

Round 3 – Saturday 25 February

Wales vs England, 4.45pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff (BBC & S4C)

Round 4 – Saturday 11 March

England vs France, 4.45pm, Twickenham, London (ITV & BBC)

Round 5 – Saturday 18 March

Ireland vs England, 5pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin (ITV)

Manu Tuilagi is expected to be left out of Steve Borthwick’s England team to face Scotland at Twickenham on Saturday reports the Telegraph.

Since his debut in 2011, the 31-year-old Tuilagi has been a regular under successive England coaches but despite being retained in the 29-man squad it is understood he is set to miss out.

Instead, Joe Marchant’s reported inclusion will provide England with pace and dynamism but without the power of Tuilagi.

England face Scotland at Twickenham for the Calcutta Cup on Saturday 4th February with kick-off at 4.45pm.

The match is being broadcast live on ITV and ITVX with coverage starting at 4pm.

The 29-year-old scrum half has been a mainstay throughout the head coach’s five-and-a-half-year reign, winning 58 caps since his debut in 2016.

The Glasgow prop has been sidelined since the start of December with a hamstring injury, although forwards coach John Dalziel said on Tuesday he was in contention and “in the shape of his life” for the Calcutta Cup showdown.

However, head coach Gregor Townsend has opted to give the 2021 British &Irish Lions squad member more time to get up to speed as he has not been included in the side for this weekend’s match at Twickenham.