Twelvetrees keeps his place with Tuilagi back on the bench for Ireland crunch

Billy Twelvetrees has kept his place in England’s starting XV for Sunday’s RBS Six Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin, as Stuart Lancaster has opted to retain the midfield combination which began the game against Scotland.
There has been intense speculation about the likely centre pairing after the management confirmed that Manu Tuilagi had been cleared for selection.
However, it is understood that after assessing Tuilagi in training, Lancaster has erred on the side of caution by holding back from a starting comeback for the destructive No 13.

 

New kid on the block: Billy Twelvetrees was back in training at Pennyhill Park on Wednesday

 

 

Aren't you tall enough already, Billy? Twelvetrees gets up high in England training

England team v Ireland

1   Joe Marler
2   Tom Youngs
3   Dan Cole
4   Joe Launchbury
5   Geoff Parling
6   James Haskell
7   Chris Robshaw (c)
8   Tom Wood
9   Ben Youngs
10  Owen Farrell
11  Mike Brown
12  Billy Twelvetrees
13  Brad Barritt
14  Chris Ashton
15  Alex Goode

Instead, it is thought that Tuilagi may be included among the substitutes, ahead of Saracens wing David Strettle. 
In the starting line-up, Wasps flanker James Haskell returns at blindside, with Tom Wood switching to No 8 after Ben Morgan was ruled out by injury.
Otherwise, Lancaster has cleared the players who started the 38-18 win over Scotland to keep their places, despite strong competition from within the squad. 
One of those who was pushing hard to start, hooker Dylan Hartley, last night insisted he has the right ‘focus’ to fend off any attempts by Ireland to trigger his temper.
Hartley was involved in a fight with Ireland hooker Rory Best during a Heineken Cup pool match in December. Hartley was also banned for eight weeks last season when he was found guilty of biting the finger of Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris.
But Hartley claims he has developed the ability to block out any wind-up attempts by Irish players.
‘If anything, I will be more focused,’ added Hartley, who starts on the bench behind Tom Youngs.

 

Plan B: Stuart Lancaster has chosen to bring Manu Tuilagi (centre) back in but only on the bench