Conor O'Shea has laughed off suggestions England are in the midst of an injury crises as he predicted the team that would line up against Italy next month.
Eddie Jones takes his back-to-back Six Nations champions to Rome to face O'Shea's Italy on the opening weekend of this year's championship missing several key players.
The England coach described the chances of Chris Robshaw and Mike Brown playing at the Stadio Olimpico on Feb. 4 as "borderline" Wednesday, while his list of absentees already includes Billy Vunipola, Elliot Daly, Nathan Hughes and Kyle Sinckler.
Despite their lengthening injury list, O'Shea denied it would be a good time to face Jones' side as he reeled off a team that contained eight British & Irish Lions.
"Is that an injury crisis? They have depth, [Jones] has done an unbelievable job and listen we're going to give it a good crack," the Italy coach said.
"They play to their best, we play to our best, they win. Our job, play to our best and see what happens. We want to go out in front of our home supporters and make them proud."
Conor O'Shea's predicted England team:
Brown, Watson, Joseph, Farrell, May, Ford, Care or Youngs; M. Vunipola, Hartley, Cole, Lawes, Launchbury, Itoje, Robshaw, Simmonds.