Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam have earned starting places in the England forward pack as head coach Steve Borthwick names his squad to face Japan in Pool D at Stade de Nice on Sunday, 17 September.
1 Joe Marler
2 Jamie George
3 Kyle Sinckler
4 Maro Itoje
5 Ollie Chessum
6 Courtney Lawes (c)
7 Ben Earl
8 Lewis Ludlam
9 Alex Mitchell
10 George Ford
11 Elliot Daly
12 Manu Tuilagi
13 Joe Marchant
14 Jonny May
15 Freddie Steward
Replacements:
16 Theo Dan
17 Ellis Genge
18 Will Stuart
19 George Martin
20 Billy Vunipola
21 Ben Youngs
22 Marcus Smith
23 Ollie Lawrence
- Head coach Steve Borthwick has made three changes to his starting XV from last Saturday's 27-10 win over Argentina, all in the forward pack with Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler in the front-row, and Lewis Ludlam in the back-row.
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Billy Vunipola returns from suspension to provide back-row cover on the bench.
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There are 10 survivors in the match-day team from the last time they played Japan, in 2022, in Freddie Steward, Jonny May, Marcus Smith, Ellis Genge, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Manu Tuilagi, Jamie George, Billy Vunipola and Ben Youngs.
- George Ford equalled Jonny Wilkinson’s 2003 record for most drop goals in tests for England's last match. His 27 points against Argentina was the fifth-most by any player against Los Pumas after Carlos Spencer scored 33 in 1997, Handre Pollard 31 in 2019, Michael Lynagh 28 in 1995 and Morne Steyn with 28 in 2013, and the most by anyone from the northern hemisphere.
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Freddie Steward is the only player to have started all 10 tests for England this season.
- Ben Earl will start for the fifth consecutive test after earning his first 15 caps off the bench. He hit a team-high 10 defensive rucks against Argentina, earning one breakdown steal.
