• Quins prop replaced after wife goes into labaour
• Matt Mullan called up to replacements' bench
Mako Vunipola has been drafted in to start at loosehead prop in England's final Six Nations championship game against Italy after Joe Marler's partner went into labour.
The Harlequins forward Marler did not fly out to Rome with the rest of England squad on Thursday, so as to attend the birth of his first child, and the Rugby Football Union confirmed on Thursday night that Saracens' Vunipola would be promoted to the starting XV, with Matt Mullan of London Wasps taking his place on the bench.
"It is important that Joe is with his partner at this exciting time," said England's head coach, Stuart Lancaster. "Family must always come first and everyone in the squad wishes them well. We have prepared for being without Joe and we have no doubt Mako will slot straight in and perform, as will Matt Mullan should he get an opportunity.
"Matt played in the autumn internationals. There's no problem with him; he's been involved right throughout the campaign. He's a good player to come on."
**Italy v England, 12.45pm GMT Saturday 15 March**
*Italy *L McLean (Treviso); A Esposito (Treviso), M Campagnaro (Treviso), G Garcia (Zebre), L Sarto (Zebre); L Orquera (Zebre), T Tebaldi (Ospreys); M Agüero (Zebre), L Ghiraldini (Treviso), L Cittadini (Treviso), Q Geldenhuys (Zebre), M Bortolami (Zebre), J Furno (Biarritz), R Barbieri (Treviso), S Parisse (Stade Français).
*Replacements* D Giazzon (Zebre), M Rizzo (Treviso), A De Marchi (Treviso), G Biagi (Zebre), P Derbyshire (Treviso), E Gori (Treviso), T Allan (Perpignan), A Masi (Wasps).
*England* M Brown (Harlequins); J Nowell (Exeter), L Burrell (Northampton), B Twelvetrees (Gloucester), J May (Gloucester); O Farrell (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins); M Vunipola (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Morgan (Gloucester). *Replacements* T Youngs (Leicester), M Mullan (Wasps), H Thomas (Sale), D Attwood (Bath), T Johnson (Exeter), L Dickson (Northampton), G Ford (Bath), M Tuilagi (Leicester). Reported by guardian.co.uk 10 hours ago.
• Matt Mullan called up to replacements' bench
Mako Vunipola has been drafted in to start at loosehead prop in England's final Six Nations championship game against Italy after Joe Marler's partner went into labour.
The Harlequins forward Marler did not fly out to Rome with the rest of England squad on Thursday, so as to attend the birth of his first child, and the Rugby Football Union confirmed on Thursday night that Saracens' Vunipola would be promoted to the starting XV, with Matt Mullan of London Wasps taking his place on the bench.
"It is important that Joe is with his partner at this exciting time," said England's head coach, Stuart Lancaster. "Family must always come first and everyone in the squad wishes them well. We have prepared for being without Joe and we have no doubt Mako will slot straight in and perform, as will Matt Mullan should he get an opportunity.
"Matt played in the autumn internationals. There's no problem with him; he's been involved right throughout the campaign. He's a good player to come on."
**Italy v England, 12.45pm GMT Saturday 15 March**
*Italy *L McLean (Treviso); A Esposito (Treviso), M Campagnaro (Treviso), G Garcia (Zebre), L Sarto (Zebre); L Orquera (Zebre), T Tebaldi (Ospreys); M Agüero (Zebre), L Ghiraldini (Treviso), L Cittadini (Treviso), Q Geldenhuys (Zebre), M Bortolami (Zebre), J Furno (Biarritz), R Barbieri (Treviso), S Parisse (Stade Français).
*Replacements* D Giazzon (Zebre), M Rizzo (Treviso), A De Marchi (Treviso), G Biagi (Zebre), P Derbyshire (Treviso), E Gori (Treviso), T Allan (Perpignan), A Masi (Wasps).
*England* M Brown (Harlequins); J Nowell (Exeter), L Burrell (Northampton), B Twelvetrees (Gloucester), J May (Gloucester); O Farrell (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins); M Vunipola (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Morgan (Gloucester). *Replacements* T Youngs (Leicester), M Mullan (Wasps), H Thomas (Sale), D Attwood (Bath), T Johnson (Exeter), L Dickson (Northampton), G Ford (Bath), M Tuilagi (Leicester). Reported by guardian.co.uk 10 hours ago.