England will enter a hostile Principality Stadium with a rookie back row after naming Jack Clifford in place of Tom Wood for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales.

Clifford has recovered from a chest injury to make his first international appearance since last summer's tour to Australia and is chosen ahead of the vastly more experienced Wood, who is demoted to the bench.

In the only other change to the starting XV that beat France 19-16 last Saturday, Jack Nowell is picked on the right wing in a move that sees Jonny May also relegated to a spot among the replacements.

The biggest talking point is in the back row, however, with England facing a potentially all-British and Irish Lions Welsh trio of Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau with Clifford, Maro Itoje and Nathan Hughes.

Wood, who has recovered from a shoulder injury, has 46 caps while Clifford, Itoje and Hughes have only four back-row starts between them.

"Jack Clifford also deserves his starting role. He is a hard-working, young player," head coach Eddie Jones said.

"He has got a good record against Wales, he had a superb game against them in May, he knows what he is going to expect from Wales and we're looking forward to him making an impact to our back-row play.

"Tom Wood will also play his part later in the game off the bench as a finisher."

Nowell made a significant impact when arriving as a second-half replacement against France, with a robust carry helping to set up the decisive try for Ben Te'o.

"Jack Nowell starts this week, with Jonny May changing to a finisher," Jones said. "Jack has an excellent work-rate and he's a guy that carries through the line, which will be important for us."

England made an unconvincing start to their Six Nations title defence, with only the arrival of a powerful bench sealing victory over France.

Jones accepted responsibility for what he described as an "awful" performance and has since been seeking explanations as to why Red Rose teams are "petrified" of playing in Cardiff.

"It's been a great week of focused preparation and we can't wait to play Wales," Jones said.

"Playing Wales in Cardiff is one of the biggest games in world rugby and we're excited. These are the games you want to be part of as a player and a coach.

"It's a game that is going to be decided on the basics of the game. You do the fundamentals of the game well and you win the game of rugby. We have a young team eager to play well at the great Principality Stadium.

"We don't need extra motivation this week - we play Test rugby because we want to be the best for England.

"Every game for us is important and our supporters, and Wales is our next game so it's the most important."

Meanwhile, Wales boss Rob Howley says key backs George North and Dan Biggar will be given "every opportunity" to feature in Saturday's RBS 6 Nations showdown with England.

Howley has named both players in his starting XV for England's Principality Stadium visit.

But with Wales having just a six-day turnaround following last weekend's win over Italy, in which Biggar took a blow to his ribs and North suffered leg bruising, they remain works in progress.

And, if needs be, Wales are to prepared to leave any fitness decisions they might yet have to make until the day of the game.

"George hasn't done too much this week, and Dan has done a couple of sessions," said interim head coach Howley, who has called up props Rob Evans and Tomas Francis as his only two changes from the 33-7 victory in Rome.

"Those two players (Biggar and North) will be given every opportunity to be fit. They are two experienced and important players for us.

"It is a big game, and both players want to be part of that game as you would expect. We have prepared as best as we can.

"The six days have focused our minds, but the good thing is we've been here before in the Rugby World Cup. We have got extremely motivated players and are looking forward to the challenge that England will bring."

Alex Cuthbert, who scored two tries when Wales destroyed Grand Slam-chasing England in Cardiff four years ago, would be favourite to replace Northampton wing North if any change is required, with Sam Davies taking over from his Ospreys fly-half colleague Biggar.

It would mean Davies moving off the bench - as he did to great effect at half-time in Rome - with uncapped Leicester back Owen Williams potentially joining the replacements.

Williams has been released back to Leicester for their Aviva Premiership game against Gloucester, but Howley revealed he had already spoken with Tigers head coach Aaron Mauger about the situation.

"We have released him, as we are very confident that Dan will make it," he said. "Any mishaps in the next 24 hours, and Aaron is well aware of the situation. We had that conversation yesterday.

"There are no excuses from us. We've trained as best as we can, and we are looking forward to facing one of the best sides, if not the best side, in the northern hemisphere at this moment.

"You admire their strength in depth. It is a game which we look forward to. We are excited and ready for the challenge."

Evans and Francis bolstered Wales' scrum when they went on as replacements at Stadio Olimpico, so their appearance in the starting XV this time around is no surprise.

Sixty-two-cap number eight Taulupe Faletau features among the substitutes for potentially his first run-out since being injured on Christmas Eve.

Wales' starting back-row - Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty - can boast 110 more caps than England's untried breakaway unit, with Faletau ready to enter the action at some point.

"I think it speaks volumes of our back-row," Howley said.

"I think the quality and experience in that back-row will have a significant impact on the game at the weekend. Toby (Faletau) hasn't played for a long time, but that hasn't looked like that in training."

Assessing England's challenge, Howley added: "England have gone 15 games unbeaten, and they have huge confidence and self-belief.

"They got across the line against France. In the first (Six Nations) games at the weekend, there is always a rustiness, and we saw elements of that, but no doubt they will be ready for this game.

"Before Italy, we tried to prepare a little bit about England as well. We are looking forward to kick-off on Saturday."

The Principality Stadium roof looks set to be closed for England's visit - a final decision was expected on Thursday - although both teams must agree for it to be shut.

Wales' preference is a closed roof, and skipper Alun Wyn Jones said: "We are very fortunate to have a stadium that adds to the occasion, but ultimately the rugby has to be the focus, and hopefully we can do the occasion justice.

"When it is closed it's obviously not claustrophobic, but there is essentially no escape for anyone or anything, and I think sometimes that is a great place to be, whether you are an away team or a home team.

"It's the sort of occasion you want to be involved in."

England: Team: M Brown (Harlequins); J Nowell (Exeter), J Joseph (Bath), O Farrell (Saracens), E Daly (Wasps); G Ford (Bath), B Youngs (Leicester); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton, capt), D Cole (Leicester), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), M Itoje (Saracens), J Clifford (Harlequins), N Hughes (Wasps).

Replacements: J George (Saracens), M Mullan (Wasps), K Sinckler (Harlequins), T Wood (Northampton), J Haskell (Wasps), D Care (Harlequins), B Te'o (Worcester), J May (Gloucester).

Wales: L Halfpenny (Toulon); G North (Northampton), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), L Williams (Scarlets); D Biggar (Ospreys), R Webb (Ospreys); R Evans (Scarlets), K Owens (Scarlets), T Francis (Exeter), J Ball (Scarlets), A W Jones (Ospreys, capt), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), J Tipuric (Ospreys), R Moriarty (Gloucester).

Replacements: S Baldwin (Ospreys), N Smith (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), C Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons), T Faletau (Bath), G Davies (Scarlets), S Davies (Ospreys), J Roberts (Harlequins).