Wasps flanker Jack Willis has been rewarded for his outstanding club form with a call-up to the England squad.

Exeter’s double-winning lock Jonny Hill has also been selected, but there is no place for Chiefs fly-half Joe Simmonds.

England could seal the Six Nations title with a bonus-point win against Italy if the result of France v Ireland goes their way.

Eddie Jones’ side will then play four games in the Autumn Nations Cup.

The game in Rome will be their first fixture in more than seven months after the meeting with the Barbarians last Sunday was called off after several players breached Covid protocols.

“We were obviously disappointed with the postponement of the Barbarians game but we moved to plan B, had a highly competitive training session instead of the match and now we are fully focused on the Italy game and the goal of winning the Six Nations,” said Jones.

Exeter hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie has been ruled out through injury, as has club-mate Jack Nowell, while Northampton lock Courtney Lawes and Sale centre Manu Tuilagi are also long-term absentees.

Meanwhile Elliot Daly, George Ford and Joe Marler are also out of the game in Rome, with Ford’s absence handing Umaga the chance of a first cap.

“With nine players out injured, it does create some opportunities for the younger guys to show what they can do,” added Jones.

Worcester centre Ollie Lawrence, who was set to make his first England appearance against the Barbarians, is one of nine uncapped players in the squad, alongside Umaga, Hill and Willis, Bristol’s Max Malins, Gloucester’s Ollie Thorley, Bath’s Tom Dunn and Beno Obano and Northampton lock David Ribbans.

England squad

Backs: Cokanasiga, Farrell, Furbank, Heinz, Joseph, Lawrence, Malins, Marchant, May, Robson, Slade, Thorley, Umaga, Watson, Youngs.

Forwards: Curry, Dunn, Earl, Ewels, Genge, George, J Hill, T Hill, Itoje, Launchbury, Ludlam, Obano, Ribbans, Singleton, Sinckler, Stuart, Underhill, B Vunipola, M Vunipola, Williams, Willis.