Tuilagi's International exile ends

Tuilagi won the last of his 26 caps on the 2014 tour to New Zealand before a serious groin problem struck.

Having made his injury comeback this season, he then went down with a hamstring problem and has played just six matches for Leicester in the current Premiership campaign, although he scored a try against Exeter on Sunday.

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill insists the British and Irish Lions centre is "five or six games away from being fully fit to play 80 minutes of Test rugby" and also has misgivings over his suitability for a role as a replacement, given the length of time he has been out.

"Even if you put him on the bench to be an impact player for the last half an hour, what happens if you have to put him on after five minutes?" Cockerill said.

Jones, however, has already stated that Tuilagi is capable of playing 20 minutes and intends unleashing him in the final quarter against Wales, as England seeks to take another step towards a first Grand Slam since 2003.

The inclusion of Daly, who Jones says covers both centre positions and fullback, means Tuilagi would not be forced into action if there was an early loss to the first-choice midfield pairing of Owen Farrell and Jonathan Joseph.

England have sorely missed their midfield wrecking ball, who feared his career might have been over amid three aborted comebacks during a torrid recovery from his groin issue. Jones views Tuilagi exclusively as an inside centre and believes he can become England's version of New Zealand great Ma'a Nonu.

He takes the place of Saracens fullback Andy Goode, while exciting Wasps centre Elliot Daly is retained after head coach Eddie Jones named a 24-man squad and will announce his starting XV on Thursday.

Luke Cowan-Dickie is the 24th player retained by Jones and is acting as injury cover for hooker Jamie George. Prop Kieran Brookes, who makes his first appearance of the Six Nations in England's matchday 23, takes the place of his Northampton team-mate Paul Hill.

England squad:

Forwards: Kieran Brookes, Dan Cole, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Jack Clifford, Jamie George, Dylan Hartley (captain), James Haskell, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Joe Marler, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Mako Vunipola.

Backs: Mike Brown, Danny Care, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Jonathan Joseph, Jack Nowell, Manu Tuilagi, Anthony Watson, Ben Youngs.

Agence France-Presse