Curry to be England’s rugby captain at 23

Tom Curry will fill England’s leadership void and become the country’s youngest rugby captain since 1988 in the Six Nations match at Scotland on Saturday.

The 23-year-old back row forward will lead the team in the absence of Owen Farrell and Courtney Lawes, who are out of contention because of injuries.

Curry will become the youngest England captain since Will Carling while Marcus Smith held off the challenge of George Ford to continue at flyhalf for the Calcutta Cup game at Murrayfield in the oldest international fixture in world rugby.

No. 8 Sam Simmonds will make his first England start for four years in a new-look back row also including Lewis Ludlam at blindside.

Lock Nick Isiekwe will also make his first Test start since 2018, while Elliot Daly, not included in the initial squad but called up because of injuries, goes straight into the team at centre alongside Henry Slade when coach Eddie Jones named his line-up on Thursday.

Lock Jonny Gray is back in Scotland’s team for the first time since last March after missing the entire campaign of November internationals because of injury.

Scotland won back the Calcutta Cup by beating England 11-6 in the Six Nations last season.

Scotland: Stuart Hogg (captain), Darcy Graham, Chris Harris, Sam Johnson, Duhan van der Merwe, Finn Russell, Ali Price; Matt Fagerson, Hamish Watson, Jamie Ritchie, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Zander Fagerson, George Turner, Rory Sutherland.

Reserves: Stuart McInally, Pierre Schoeman, WP Nel, Sam Skinner, Magnus Bradbury, Ben White, Blair Kinghorn, Sione Tuipulotu.

England: Freddie Steward, Max Malins, Elliot Daly, Henry Slade, Joe Marchant, Marcus Smith, Ben Youngs; Sam Simmonds, Tom Curry (captain), Lewis Ludlam, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Kyle Sinckler, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge.

Reserves: Jamie George, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Charlie Ewels, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, George Ford, Jack Nowell.

Curry to be England’s rugby captain at 23
Independent Information