Now Eddie Jones' men welcome France to Twickenham – but must take on Les Bleus without one of their star men.
Why isn't Maro Itoje playing for England against France?
FORWARD Itoje will not appear for the Red Rose at Twickenham against France – and is likely to miss the showdown with Wales too.
The Saracens lock suffered medial ligament damage in the epic win over Ireland, prompting Jones to call Nick Isiekwe into the squad as cover.
He's expected to be out for two to four weeks and Joe Launchbury could profit with an appearance against France.
Itoje has 24 caps for England since making his debut in the 2016 Six Nations.
Danny Care, who didn't make it into Jones' squad for the tournament, believes that England will miss Itoje during his absence.
He said: ""He's a guy who gives you an unbelievable amount of energy every defensive and attacking play, he's in your face, he's someone teams do not want to play against.
"He's a big loss for England. I hope he's back as soon as possible but there will be other players who can step up to the plate."
How can I watch the match?
THE match will be shown live on ITV1 with coverage underway from 2.15pm.
It is a free-to-air channel if you have a valid TV licence – while you can also catch it on the ITV Hub via your computer, mobile and tablet.
Alternatively, you can follow all the latest action with us on our dedicated SunSport LIVE BLOG.
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