Maro Itoje
Itoje has endless potential according to Steve Borthwick. Getty Images

Maro Itoje and Elliot Daly remain in contention to make their England debuts in the Six Nations opener against Scotland at Murrayfield after being included in the travelling party as reserves. Courtney Lawes has a hamstring problem and will continue to be monitored before coach Eddie Jones names his starting fifteen and replacements.

Jones had initially hoped to restrict the amount of new faces in his team for his first match at the helm, including just three uncapped players in his 23-man squad. Jack Clifford, Paul Hill and Ollie Devoto are all in line to make their maiden international appearances against Scotland but there remains a clamour for Itoje and Daly to be rewarded for their impressive domestic form.

Should Lawes fail to prove his fitness then Itoje will start on the bench in the Scottish capital, as backup to Joe Launchbury and George Kruis. Daly is only likely to be involved if there is a late injury to Owen Farrell, Jonathan Joseph or Ollie Deveto, but the likelihood is both of the former England Under-20 internationals will have to wait for their senior debuts.

"Hopefully he has a huge future in front of him," forwards coach Steve Borthwick said of Itoje. "He has shown the potential he has and our job now is to help him develop and learn so that he can be an international for England for a long time.

"He's a young guy and now that he's spending time around the squad, hopefully it will lay the foundation for an England career that will last a lot of years. We don't need to be rushing him, we just need to make sure that he's absolutely ready to go. Being able to play six and second row is helpful in many ways and it will be interesting to see how he develops. He certainly has the athleticism to operate at six and that's a huge asset for him."

England 25-man squad to play Scotland

Forwards: Dan Cole, Jack Clifford, Jamie George, Dylan Hartley, James Haskell, Paul Hill, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola, Maro Itoje [reserve].

Backs: Mike Brown, Danny Care, Ollie Devoto, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Alex Goode, Jonathan Joseph, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson, Ben Youngs, Elliot Daly [reserve].

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