Alec Hepburn set to make England debut in Six Nations opener against Italy

The Exeter prop has been included in a 25-man squad retained for the Stadio Olimpico showdown and is expected to provide loosehead cover from the bench for Mako Vunipola

Wednesday 31 January 2018 20:12 GMT

Alec Hepburn in training ahead of England's opening fixture (Getty)

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Alec Hepburn is poised to make his England debut in Sunday's Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome.

The Exeter prop has been included in a 25-man squad retained for the Stadio Olimpico showdown and is set to provide loosehead cover from the bench for Mako Vunipola.

Hepburn, 25, is effectively England's sixth choice in the position with Joe Marler suspended and Ellis Genge, Mat Mullan and Beno Obano in the treatment room.

On the other side of the scrum Harry Williams will be given the opportunity to add to his five caps in the absence of Kyle Sinckler, who is missing with a hamstring injury, behind starting tighthead Dan Cole.

Chris Robshaw, Maro Itoje and Mike Brown are present after recovering from their respective back, hip and eye problems and Ben Te'o also features having completed his rehabilitation from a high ankle sprain.

The indications from Wednesday morning's full contact training session at the squad's Surrey base is that Danny Care will start at scrum-half ahead of Ben Youngs, who is regarded as first choice in the position.

Eddie Jones will name his starting XV on Friday morning - Nathan Earle and Gary Graham are expected to depart for Rome as travelling reserves - ahead of the team's flight later that afternoon.

England 25-man squad:

Backs

Back three: M Brown (Harlequins), N Earle (Saracens), J May (Leicester), A Watson (Bath)

Inside backs: D Care (Harlequins), O Farrell (Saracens), G Ford (Leicester), J Joseph (Bath), J Nowell (Exeter), B Te'o (Worcester), B Youngs (Leicester)

Forwards

Back five: G Graham (Newcastle), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), C Lawes (Northampton), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Robshaw (Harlequins), S Simmonds (Exeter), S Underhill (Bath)

Front row: D Cole (Leicester), J George (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton), A Hepburn (Exeter), M Vunipola (Saracens), H Williams (Exeter).

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