Manu Tuilagi set to start for England against Wales - with Ben Youngs also in line for recall

England head coach Eddie Jones is set to unleash centre Manu Tuilagi from the start against Wales while scrum-half Ben Youngs is in line for a recall for his record-breaking 115th cap. 

It is understood that Jones is likely to reprise the same midfield combination that started against South Africa in November with Marcus Smith at fly-half and Henry Slade at outside centre either side of Tuilagi who tore his hamstring in the opening minutes of that 27-26 victory. After just one start for Sale Sharks in the Gallagher Premiership since that injury, Tuilagi has been deemed fit enough to make his first Six Nations start in nearly two years against Wales.

After being named on the replacements bench against Italy, Youngs is likely to swap places with Harry Randall as the starter. In so doing he will overtake Jason Leonard’s record as England’s most-capped male player. Youngs made his debut as a 21-year-old against Scotland in 2010 and has seen off numerous challengers to establish himself as England’s first-choice scrum-half for much of the past decade. 

Winger Jack Nowell has recovered from the concussion that he sustained in the first half against Italy and is set to start his first match at Twickenham in more than three years. Max Malins and Freddie Steward are likely to make up the back three.

Yet it is the combination of Smith, Tuilagi and Slade that will most excite England supporters who saw a tantalising glimpse of the trio together against the Springboks before Tuilagi’s untimely injury. As Jones alluded to after the Italy game, Tuilagi’s gain-line breaking ability will give England a “different option in attack”.

“Everything we’re doing now is about trying to create opportunities through finesse and that’s through