Tuesday 13 March 2018 15:18, UK
England have suffered a double injury blow after Nathan Hughes and Courtney Lawes were ruled out of Saturday's Six Nations match against Ireland.
Both forwards sustained knee problems in the 22-16 defeat by France in Paris and have been omitted from a 32-man training squad that will prepare for the final round of the Championship.
Hughes limped off in the 24th minute at the Stade de France after taking a heavy blow to his left knee, but Lawes finished the match. Both players are to undergo scans on Monday.
England will be seeking to avoid a third consecutive defeat, and first under Eddie Jones at Twickenham, while Ireland are bidding to win the third Grand Slam in their history.
The loss of Hughes and Lawes will force Jones to make changes to his back row, though he may have done so anyway after stating his unhappiness with England's power deficit and lack of discipline at the breakdown in their defeats to Scotland and France.
Sam Simmonds replaced Hughes in Paris while James Haskell was also introduced in the 52nd minute in place of Joe Launchbury, with Lawes switching from blindside flanker into the second row alongside Maro Itoje.
Captain Dylan Hartley, who sat out the French defeat with an injury, is one of three hookers named in the squad alongside Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie.
Exeter's Don Armand, who won his only Test cap on the summer tour of Argentina last June, has been called into the squad as back-row cover. There are also recalls for Exeter prop Alec Hepburn and Saracens lock Nick Isiekwe.
Backs: Mike Brown, Danny Care, Elliot Daly, Nathan Earle, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Alex Lozowski, Jonny May, Henry Slade, Marcus Smith (apprentice), Denny Solomona, Ben Te'o, Anthony Watson, Richard Wigglesworth
Forwards: Don Armand, Dan Cole, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Charlie Ewels, Jamie George, Dylan Hartley, James Haskell, Alec Hepburn, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Joe Marler, Chris Robshaw, Sam Simmonds, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola
