Harry Randall will make his first Six Nations start this Sunday as Head Coach Eddie Jones has made eight changes from last weekend’s Calcutta Cup defeat.
Ben Youngs has been dropped to the bench, while Joe Marchant moves in one position to outside-centre as Jack Nowell takes his place on the wing.
Sam Simmonds has been replaced at number eight by Harlequin’s Alex Dombrandt despite his strong performance in last Saturday’s defeat.
Charlie Ewels has also been brought into the starting XV and will partner Nick Isiekwe in the second-row, meaning Maro Itoje moves to blindside flanker in place of the injured Lewis Ludlam.
In the front-row, Will Stuart and Jamie George replace Kyle Sinckler and Luke Cowan-Dickie. As Leicester Tigers second-row Ollie Chessum is poised to make his debut off the bench.
Tom Curry continues to captain the side from openside flanker.
England will be looking to get their Six Nations campaign back on track after the opening round 20-17 defeat to Scotland that saw their chances of a Grand Slam dashed on the first weekend.
Their last visit to Rome back in October 2020 saw England run out 34-5 winners, in the conclusion to the COVID effected tournament.
Follow all the latest action via the Park Life Sport Live blog
Italy are looking to claim their first win in Six Nations since they beat Scotland back in 2015, and are coming into this weekend on the back of last week’s 37-10 loss to France.
England XV to play Italy:
Steward; Malins, Marchant, Slade, Nowell; Smith, Randall; Genge, George, Stuart, Ewels, Isiekwe, Itoje, Curry (capt), Dombrandt.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Marler, Sinckler, Chessum, Simmonds, Youngs, Ford, Daly.
