Leaked England XV suggests Billy Vunipola returns to the team

Leaked England XV (Mail Online)

Back-three:

• 15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers)
• 14. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
• 11. Jonny May (Gloucester)

Centre:

• 13. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks)
• 12. Owen Farrell (Saracens)

Owen Farrell Facts: 

1. The Saracens star went to school with England teammate George Ford
2. His education began in rugby league – he joined Wigan St Patricks at the age of eight
3. He became the youngest ever player to appear in English professional rugby, making his debut aged 17 and 11 days. This record was later beaten by schoolmate Ford
4. It’s well known that Owen is the son of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. However, it’s less commonly know that his uncle Sean O’Loughlin is also a rugby league legend, winning 34 caps for Great Britain between 1993 and 2009
5. He was not at first registered as a Farrell, but took mum Colleen’s family name of O’Loughlin. The couple married in 1995, changing Owen’s surname to Farrell the following year.

Halfbacks:

• 10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
• 9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)

Marcus Smith Facts:

1. Smith was born in Manila in the Philippines and picked up the game at the age of 7 with Centaurs RFC when his family decided to move to Singapore, he learnt the game there before moving to Sussex as a 13-year old
2. His Dad, Jeremy Smith lived in Hong Kong from 1992-97, playing for Valley and the national side at fly-half
3. At just 18 years of age and 200 days, he made his Premiership debut at Twickenham to become the youngest fly-half to start in the top flight since a 17-year old George Ford
4. He is known to many of his teammates as Smudge, which is the traditional military nickname for anyone with the surname Smith.

Front-row:

• 1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears)
• 3. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
• 3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears)

Second-row:

• 4. Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks)
• 5. Maro Itoje (Saracens)

Maro Itoje facts:

1. He doesn’t enjoy drinking beer
2. He likes to collect art in his spare time
3. As a schoolboy, Itoje played several sports including basketball, football, rugby and athletics, representing England at U17 level in shot put
4. Maro got a rugby scholarship to London Harrow school when he was 11. He then studied for a Politics degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies in Bloomsbury, London at the same time as starting his rugby career
5. He is also the cousin of Bath’s loosehead-prop Beno Obano
6. The lock was born Oghenemaro Miles Itoje in Camden, London on 28 October 1994 to Nigerian parents

Back-row:

• 6. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)
• 7. Tom Curry (Sales Sharks)
• 8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens)

Tom Curry facts: 

1. Curry played for Crewe & Nantwich in the early stages of his amateur career where he was coached by his father as well as local cult hero Bobby Walsh
2. He, along with his twin brother Ben, is the son of Bishop Heber High School Head Teacher David Curry and nephew of former England hooker John Olver
3. It is true that the brothers had a trial at Manchester City, who the twins support, but that was scuppered by Tom scoring a spectacular own goal. Probably for the best in the end
4. The only way you can tell Tom and Ben apart is by their hair. Tom has his styled to the right while Ben has his swept to the left.
5. The duo played for Sale FC in National 2 League North before making their debut for Sale Sharks in the Gallagher Premiership