Connacht hooker Sean Cronin has been included in the Irish squad for Saturday's RBS Six Nations clash with England at Twickenham.

The 23-year old, who made his senior international debut when introduced against Fiji in the autumn internationals, has been named on the bench for the crucial encounter.

Rory Best has been selected at hooker and Cronin could make his Six Nations debut during Saturday's encounter.

Cronin, a former Irish schools, U-19, U-21 and A international, is in his second season with Connacht and recently signed a contract extension.

IRELAND Team & Replacements (v England, RBS 6 Nations Championship, Twickenham, Saturday, February 27, kick-off 4pm):

15 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 - Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 - Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)