Stevens injury blow for England

England have suffered an injury blow ahead of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Ireland with prop Matt Stevens being ruled out.

The Bath forward has suffered a recurrence of the shoulder injury which ruled him out of England’s 18-12 defeat by Scotland three weeks ago.

Stevens will be replaced in the front row by Leicester’s Julian White, who was one of five World Cup winners originally dropped for the Ireland game.

Perry Freshwater is called up to the replacements bench.