Team News: England centre Ben Te'o comes in for first start in a year

Eddie Jones is to start centre Ben Te'o for the first time in almost a year as England kick off their Six Nations title defence with a trip to Italy.

The 31-year-old is handed just his second start at international level, 12 months after making his bow against the same opponents.

Te'o has not featured at all since October due to an ankle injury, but Jones has shown faith by naming him in the XV to face Italy in Rome on Sunday afternoon, with Jonathan Joseph overlooked.

Sam Simmonds is given the nod at number eight for his fourth cap, meanwhile, alongside Courtney Lawes and Chris Robshaw in the back row.

Joe Launchbury and Maro Itoje are the locks, and the front row comprises Mako Vunipola, skipper Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole for the clash at the Stadio Olimpico.

England team to face Italy: Brown; Watson, Te'o, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes, Robshaw, Simmonds