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Jones names 1st England side

London - New England head coach Eddie Jones on Thursday named Danny Care at scrumhalf and Joe Marler at loosehead prop for Saturday's Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Care was given the nod ahead of Ben Youngs for the number nine jersey for the Edinburgh clash, while Marler was preferred to Mako Vunipola in the front row.

Australian Jones also named three uncapped players on the bench in backrower Jack Clifford, prop Paul Hill and centre Ollie Devoto, with lock Courtney Lawes also among the replacements after passing a fitness test on his hamstring injury.

"There were some tight calls on selection, but we have picked a match-day squad with a blend of experience and youth," said Jones, after naming his first starting XV since taking over the England job in November following the departure of Stuart Lancaster.

Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley will captain England for the first time as they bid to retain the Calcutta Cup, which they have held since 2008.

The 29-year-old will be surrounded by plenty of experienced heads in an England team containing 512 caps, with Owen Farrell, who will line up at centre, full-back Mike Brown and Billy Vunipola all appointed vice-captains.

Former skipper Chris Robshaw, who oversaw England's disastrous World Cup group stage exit on home soil last year, moves across to blindside flanker where he has been playing for club side Harlequins, with James Haskell slotting in at openside.

Farrell and George Ford will start together for just the second time, the former at inside centre - with both Manu Tuilagi and Henry Slade out injured - and Bath's Ford selected at flyhalf.

"The boys have worked hard since coming into camp to understand how I want the team to play going forward," Jones said.

"We have prepared well and I am pleased with the progress the group has made in the short time we've had together."

Jones praised the job done by his predecessor Lancaster and the options he had left at his disposal, adding he was confident of starting his tenure on a winning note north of the border.

"We are indebted to the work Stuart Lancaster has done over last four years. I have inherited a talented and highly motivated group of players.

"We are confident we can go to Edinburgh and win, but we're in no doubt it will be a huge challenge.

"Playing at Murrayfield in front of a passionate Scottish crowd will be a real test for this team but one I know we can rise to."

Teams:

Scotland

TBA

England

15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jack Nowell, 10 George Ford, 9 Danny Care, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 James Haskell, 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 George Kruis, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley (captain), 1 Joe Marler

Substitutes: 16 Jamie George, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Courtney Lawes, 20 Jack Clifford, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Alex Goode, 23 Ollie Devoto

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