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| Venue: Twickenham Stadium Date: Saturday, 20 November Kick-off: 15:15 GMT |
| Coverage: Follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. |
Sale prop Bevan Rodd and Newcastle hooker Jamie Blamire start in a rookie England front row for Saturday’s Test with world champions South Africa.
Prop Joe Marler, who will not train until Friday after isolating with Covid-19, is named on the bench, as is uncapped hooker Nic Dolly.
Joe Marchant is on the wing with Manu Tuilagi returning to the midfield.
Flanker Courtney Lawes captains the side at Twickenham in the absence of the injured Owen Farrell.
England’s last meeting with South Africa was the 2019 World Cup final in which the Springbok pack dominated to claim a 32-12 win.
Ex-British and Irish Lions prop Alex Corbisiero said during the week that England would face an “uphill battle” against the world champions without the experience of Jamie George.
So Rodd, receiving his second cap, and Blamire, gaining his fifth, face a tough Test at Twickenham, with prop Kyle Sinckler offering more international expertise in the front row.
England’s scrum will be propped up by six forwards on the bench, with number eights Alex Dombrandt and Sam Simmonds both named once again.
More to follow.
England: Steward; Marchant, Slade, Tuilagi, May; Smith, Youngs; Rodd, Blamire, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Lawes (capt), Underhill, Curry.
Replacements: Dolly, Marler, Stuart, Ewels, Simmonds, Dombrandt, Quirke, Malins.
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