England have suffered an injury blow ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Ireland with prop Matt Stevens being ruled out.

The Bath forward has suffered a recurrence of the shoulder injury which ruled him out of England’s 18-12 defeat by Scotland three weeks ago.

Stevens will be replaced in the front row by Leicester’s Julian White. Perry Freshwater is called up to the replacements bench.

White was one of six World Cup winners axed from the England side by head coach Andy Robinson after Paris, with Stevens switched to tighthead prop and Andrew Sheridan recalled.

But White now gains an unexpected recall, winning his 33rd cap, with Perpignan prop Freshwater summoned for duty.

Robinson said: "I am disappointed for Matt, but it also gives Julian another opportunity to start.

"Perry has been part of the squad for some time now, and I had no hesitation in bringing him on to the bench."

England are striving to avoid suffering three successive Six Nations defeats for the second season in a row and will miss Stevens’ power and mobility against a Triple Crown-chasing Ireland side.

Match referee Joel Jutge, meanwhile, has also been forced out by injury, and will be replaced by Wales’ Nigel Whitehouse, with Nigel Owens taking over from Whitehouse as a touch judge.

Owens had been due to run the line in Rome, where Italy host Scotland on Saturday, but his touch judge’s role at Stadio Flaminio now goes to England’s Wayne Barnes.