Centre Manu Tuilagi was recalled to the England squad on Tuesday for their final Six Nations match with Italy in Rome on Saturday which they need to win to give them a chance of landing the title.

England go into the final round of matches tied on six points with France and Ireland, although the Irish, who play the French in Paris, have a significantly superior points difference over their two rivals.

England have a better points difference than the French, who would require a heavy win over the Irish to give them a chance of winning the title if, as expected, the English beat the Italians.

Tuilagi, 22 and who comes in for Alex Goode, had been out for six months with a chest muscle injury and has played just once for his club Leicester since his return.

However, he could be just the ideal ‘wrecking ball’ to send on against a tiring Italian defence, who caved in in the second-half of their match last Saturday against Ireland, losing 47-7 having only trailed 17-7 at the break.

“Manu trained well with us last week and today, and is up to speed with the way we want to play,” England coach Stuart Lancaster said.

“Alex Goode has done well for us off the bench and is naturally disappointed but we believe Manu, with the power and physicality he can bring, is the right choice to be included in the 23 for this game.”

Forwards

David Attwood (Bath), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Tom Johnson (Exeter), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Ben Morgan (Gloucester), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Henry Thomas (Sale), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), David Wilson (Bath), Tom Wood (Northampton), Tom Youngs (Leicester)

Backs

Mike Brown (Harlequins), Luther Burrell (Northampton), Danny Care (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Bath), Jonny May (Gloucester), Jack Nowell (Exeter), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester)