Warburton is back to lead at Twickenham

Sam Warburton has recovered from injury and will captain Wales when they bid for the Triple Crown against Six Nations title rivals England at Twickenham on Saturday.

The Cardiff Blues flanker missed Wales’ 27-13 victory over Scotland 10 days ago due to a thigh problem that forced him off at half-time against Ireland in Dublin a week earlier.

He replaces Aaron Shingler in the back row, while fit-again lock Alun-Wyn Jones is preferred to Ryan Jones and hooker Ken Owens gains his first Wales start.

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Owens, who made his Test debut during last autumn’s World Cup campaign, is promoted off the bench as calf muscle strains sideline both Huw Bennett and Matthew Rees.

Sale Sharks forward Andy Powell drops off the bench and there is no place in the matchday 22 either for Shingler or lock Lou Reed.

The Wales back division is unchanged for the third successive Six Nations game, with wing George North having shrugged off an ankle injury.

Alun-Wyn Jones, meanwhile, has not played Test rugby since the World Cup because of a toe injury, but he returns to win his 60th cap.