• Itoje missed start of camp to attend mother’s funeral

• Arundell makes first England start in three years on wing

Jamie George will captain England in their Six Nations opener against Wales on Saturday with Maro Itoje named on the bench while Henry Arundell has been selected for a first start in three years.

Itoje missed the start of England’s training camp in Girona to attend his mother’s funeral in Nigeria and Steve Borthwick has opted to name the second row among the replacements. Itoje has a remarkable record of appearing in every minute of England’s matches for the last six Six Nations campaigns but Alex Coles and Ollie Chessum assume second-row duties against Wales.