Twins Ben and Tom Curry will both play together for England for the first time in the team's Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Sale pair will be the starting flankers for England, either side of number eight Ben Earl. Back-row candidates Ollie Chessum, Chander Cunningham-South and Tom Willis will start on the bench, which contains six forwards.

Along with the Curry twins starting together for the first time, Cadan Murley will also make his England debut on the left wing after being preferred to Ollie Sleightholme with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso out after dislocating his shoulder.

Alex Mitchell will start at scrum-half, having recovered from a dislocated knee, while Harlequins' Marcus Smith will be at fly-half and Freddie Steward at full-back, filling in for the injured George Furbank.

Elsewhere, Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence are to continue their partnership in the middle, with Luke Cowan-Dickie to start at hooker after vice-captain Jamie George was forced to pull out of the game with a hamstring problem.

Newly-named captain Maro Itoje, who took over from George two weeks ago, continues in the second row alongside George Martin.

Your England team to face Ireland 

Steve Borthwick has named his 23-player squad for our #GuinnessM6N opener on Saturday.@O2 | #WearTheRose | #IREvENG

— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) January 28, 2025

On the opportunity to place alongside his twin brother for the national team, Ben said it was "very special."

"When you go back home and you look in your room and there is artwork that you have made at primary school and high school, there is one of me in an England shirt," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Everything has led up to this moment."

England will face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday after France face Wales on Friday and Scotland host Italy the following day.

England team to face Ireland: Steward, Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Murley, M Smith, Mitchell, Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Itoje, Martin, T Curry, B Curry, Earl

Replacements: Dan, Baxter, Heyes, Chessum, Cunningham-South, Willis, Randall, F Smith