Return of Lawes is signal for Palmer to step aside

Tom Palmer is set to lose his place in the England squad as Stuart Lancaster shows no qualms about tinkering with a winning team.

The former Leeds Tykes lock is expected to make way for Courtney Lawes who is one of three men returning to bolster England ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations showdown with Wales.

England have won both of their opening fixtures, away in Scotland and Italy, but have yet to show any attacking verve.

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Wales will be chasing a Triple Crown at Twickenham on Saturday and England’s interim head coach Lancaster plans to shake up his squad for the visit of the World Cup semi-finalists.

Palmer’s lineout department mis-fired in Edinburgh and Rome, and with Mouritz Botha impressing with his ball-carrying ability, Stade Francais second-row forward Palmer is the man to make way.

Lawes, the Northampton Saints lock, injured his knee on club duty in January but returned to the England set-up in the wake of the victory in Italy.

Lancaster was encouraged with Manu Tuilagi’s performance for Leicester on Sunday, and is considering whether to give the controversial centre a starting place against Wales.

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Tuilagi was one of the few players who performed to their best in a calamitous World Cup campaign for England last autumn, but he returned home as one of many players shamed over his disciplinary problems.

The centre was fined on two occasions in New Zealand; firstly for wearing a sponsored gumshield, and then for jumping off a ferry in Auckland.

Tuilagi is yet to play for England since then, thanks mainly to a shattered eye-socket and a hamstring injury.

He has been restricted to just five games for Leicester this season – the latest of which came in their 20-19 win over Premiership champions Saracens on Sunday.

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The 20-year-old was recalled to the England squad last week but faces a fight to dislodge Brad Barritt from the XV after he impressed in England’s opening two wins of the Six Nations.

Tuilagi may yet start on Saturday, though, as his strength could prove vital against a powerful Wales back line, and Lancaster was pleased with his performance in Sunday’s narrow win at Vicarage Road.

“Manu has had such limited game time since the World Cup so it was a good chance for him to get another 80 minutes under his belt,” said Lancaster.

“At that level, in that quality of a game, it was just a great opportunity for him to play another game. We were pleased for him and how he played.

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“He did a lot of things well. I am pleased with the way that it went.”

Tuilagi will begin full training with England today after being given yesterday off to recover from the weekend’s exertions, which saw Leicester clinch victory with a last-minute drop-goal.

He will have two days to impress Lancaster and prove that he is sharp enough to be considered ahead of Barritt for a game that could make or break England’s hopes of winning the tournament, and Lancaster’s own chances of landing his current job on a permanent basis.

As well as the return of Lawes and Tuilagi, Lancaster also has Toby Flood available after he also missed the opening two games of the competition.

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England’s interim boss would not confirm whether Tuilagi would start, but he did admit having the trio available has breathed new life into his squad.

He said: “Having that group of players back has given me something to think about.

“From our point of view it’s a great position to be in to have competition for places.

“We go into this match on the back of two wins and we have had a lot of competition in training.”

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Despite winning their first two games against Scotland and Italy, the Red Rose will have to up their game considerably against Warren Gatland’s buoyant Welsh side.

A lot has been made of Wales’ superior brawn in the backs, but Lancaster insists his sole focus remains putting out a team strong enough to deny the visitors what would be only their second win at Twickenham since 1988.

“From my point of view it’s about us first. What Wales can bring will be something in the back of my mind,” added Lancaster.

“It’s a big week. We are certainly pleased with how last week went in terms of the quality and the quantity of what we have managed to do in training. That sets us up well for a big game.”

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Third-choice hooker Lee Mears had a scan on his bicep yesterday and could miss the game on Saturday while wing Charlie Sharples is also a doubt after suffering a leg injury.

Harlequins’ Chris Brooker has been called up as cover for Mears.

Glasgow stand-off Ruaridh Jackson has been added to Scotland’s Six Nations squad ahead of Sunday’s match with France after his return from injury.

Jackson was left out the pool for the opening defeats against England and Wales after suffering a hamstring injury in early January.

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But he has played in Glasgow’s last two games, against Scarlets and Connacht, and has put himself into the thoughts of head coach Andy Robinson. Winger Max Evans (ankle) and lock Jim Hamilton (throat infection) did not train when the squad gathered at Murrayfield yesterday.