Barritt to start for fresh-faced England

Reuters | 02 February, 2012 12:103 Comments

England player Brad Barritt in action during an England training session at West Park Leeds RFC on January 26, 2012 in Leeds, England
Image by: Stu Forster / Getty Images

England will face Scotland with one of their most inexperienced lineups for years as three uncapped starters and a further five uncapped replacements were included in the squad named by caretaker coach Stuart Lancaster on Thursday.

Only six players who started the World Cup quarter-final defeat to France in October survive for Saturday’s Six Nations game at Murrayfield as centre duo Owen Farrell and Brad Barritt and number eight Phil Dowson make their debuts while lock Mouritz Botha makes his first start.

There are five more uncapped players on the bench where only prop Matt Stevens (39 appearances) has any substantial experience, while the team is captained by flanker Chris Robshaw in his second international.

Defending champions England edged the Scots in their decisive World Cup Pool game in Auckland, New Zealand last year but have lost two and drawn one of their last three games at Murrayfield,

England team: 15-Ben Foden, 14-Chris Ashton, 13-Brad Barritt, 12-Owen Farrell, 11-David Strettle, 10-Charlie Hodgson, 9-Ben Youngs; 8-Phil Dowson, 7-Chris Robshaw (captain), 6-Tom Croft, 5-Tom Palmer, 4-Mouritz Botha, 3-Dan Cole, 2-Dylan Hartley, 1-Alex Corbisiero.

Replacements: 16-Rob Webber, 17-Matt Stevens, 18-Geoff Parling, 19-Ben Morgan, 20-Lee Dickson, 21-Jordan Turner-Hall, 22-Mike Brown.