Maro Itoje moves to the back row as Eddie Jones names injury-hit England side for Six Nations opener

Jones is looking to keep up his 100 per cent winning record

Maro Itoje won World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year for his second-row performances (Getty)

Maro Itoje will start injury-ravaged England’s Six Nations defence against France at flanker, despite an injury to George Kruis on Wednesday, but Jack Nowell must settle for a place on the bench.

The Saracens forward played the majority of England’s perfect 2016 in the second row, earning him World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year.

Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes, who did well in the absence of Itoje and Kruis in the autumn internationals, will continue as Eddie Jones’ two locks.

James Haskell is among the replacements as he returns to full fitness, with Tom Wood replacing him at openside and Nathan Hughes starting at No 8 with Billy Vunipola ruled out of the tournament.

Billy’s brother Mako is also ruled out through injury, meaning Joe Marler makes a shock start, even though he fractured his leg at the start of January.

Nowell drops to the bench after concerns over a slight injury, meaning that Elliot Daly starts on the wing, as he did in the autumn before picking up a red card in his second outing.

On the other wing Jonny May deputises for Anthony Watson, who will miss the first two games against the French and Wales with a hamstring problem.

“We’ve been able to select a very strong and experienced team to play against France and we are excited to get the tournament underway,” said England head coach Jones.

“There’s a great rivalry between the countries so we’re looking forward to a great occasion playing against one of England’s oldest foes.

Elliot Daly has started all his England games on the wing (Getty)

“In rugby terms you’ve traditionally got two contrasting styles – French flair and England’s dogged conservative approach, but we want to be absolutely daring against the French in this first game and set the standard for the tournament.

“Guy Noves likes a big team. He picks a traditional French forward pack with squat front-rowers who scrummage well, big locks who give a lot of ballast and athletic back-rowers. It’s based on size and crunching that gain line, getting an off-load and then playing with flair. Of course this gives you an opportunity when you’ve got a big forward pack against you and we intend to exploit that.

“We want to get better all of the time, we are ambitious and we want to be the number one team in the world.

“It’s exciting to be back at Twickenham. We’ve got great supporters and we’re looking forward to hearing them turn the volume up on Saturday.”

England team to face France:

Mike Brown; Jonny May, Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole; Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes; Maro Itoje, Tom Wood, Nathan Hughes.

Replacements: Jamie George, Matt Mullan, Kyle Sinckler, James Haskell, Teimana Harrison, Danny Care, Ben Te'o, Jack Nowell.