Rooney and Kane spearhead England’s attack

By Mitch Phillips

MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) – Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane got the nod up front for England’s opening Euro 2016 Group B game against Russia on Saturday as coach Roy Hodgson picked a team full of attacking talent.

Raheem Sterling, Dele Alli and Adam Lallana were also included, heaping a huge defensive responsibility on Eric Dier, although whether Rooney acts as a second forward or takes more of a midfield role remains to be seen.

Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill fill the centre back roles with Danny Rose and Kyle Walker outside them. Striker Jamie Vardy is among the substitutes.

Russia coach Leonid Slutsky has also been bold in his bid to overcome the absence of injured midfielders Alan Dzagoev and Igor Denisov, with Roman Neustadter and Alexander Golovin handed their first competitive starts.

Fedor Smolov, Artem Dzyuba and Alexander Kokorin will form a three-pronged front line.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)