Tom Curry will start England’s clash with Japan at Allianz Stadium on Sunday just two weeks after he was knocked out against Australia.
Curry’s selection at blindside flanker is one of two changes to the side defeated 29-20 by South Africa last Saturday, with George Furbank’s return at full-back completing the adjustments.
Only a fortnight ago Curry sustained his second concussion of the season and fifth in two years, but he is preferred ahead of Chandler Cunningham-South who drops to the bench.
The all-action Sale flanker, famed for his fearless playing style, was knocked unconscious against the Wallabies when he was struck by the knee of Rob Valetini while making a tackle.
Furbank’s promotion comes at the cost of Freddie Steward, who was recalled against South Africa on the strength of his aerial game but has now been dropped from the 23 altogether.
Japan’s high-tempo playing style is designed to stress defences with the ball in hand, placing less of a premium on Steward’s ability in the air.
Head coach Steve Borthwick will be hoping to see more from Furbank, who will act as a second playmaker to Marcus Smith, following his quiet performances against New Zealand and the Wallabies.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour is poised to make his Test debut off the bench despite only being called into the training squad when Joe Marler announced his Test retirement in the build-up to the opener against New Zealand.
Opoku-Fordjour, a member of the England Under-20 team that won the junior world cup during the summer, will provide cover at tighthead prop. It means that Test centurion Dan Cole loses his place on the bench.
George Ford is also missing among the replacements, with Fin Smith preferred as fly-half cover for Smith in his first appearance of the autumn.
England are aiming to end a five-Test losing run, their worst sequence of results since 2018 when Eddie Jones – now in charge of Japan – was still in charge.
“We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo,” Borthwick said.
“Japan are a dangerous team so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes.”
England XV: Furbank; Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Sleightholme; M Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George (capt), Stuart, Itoje, Martin, T Curry, Underhill, Earl.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Baxter, Opoku-Fordjour, Isiekwe, Cunningham-South, Randall, F Smith, Roebuck.
02:11 PM GMT
That’s all from us
England’s team announcement is over but there will be plenty more analysis and insight from Telegraph Sport between now and kick-off at 4.10pm on Sunday.
Until then, goodbye.
02:10 PM GMT
Borthwick on continuity and Opoku-Fordjour
A lot of the systems have gone well. We’ve played against some of the best teams in the world. We’re disappointed and frustrated to have missed the final blow. I’ve talked at length about continuity. Asher will be the ninth new cap in 12 Tests. This team now, compared to last year, there has been a lot of transition. We have moved on.
Asher came in three weeks ago. He took no step backwards – he really went at it. Everyone around the squad saw how competitive he was. He ended up with a load of stitches over his eye and a dead leg – he impressed everyone.
02:08 PM GMT
Borthwick speaks
Delighted to see Furbank and Curry back. Freddie played very well last week and he’s very disappointed to miss out.
The two full-backs have different skill sets and Japan pose a different tactical challenge. We want to do some things differently this week.
That back row has played once before together. It’s got a lot of speed and we want to play fast. So do Japan.
I’m looking forward to seeing them play together again.
There are stringent measures in terms of players returning to play. The welfare of players is paramount. Tom Curry has gone through several consultations and he’s raring to go.
02:00 PM GMT
This weekend’s fixtures
While we await the thoughts of head coach Steve Borthwick at 2.15pm, let’s have a look at this weekend’s autumn fixtures.
Tonight
France v Argentina, 8.10pm GMT
Saturday
Ireland v Fiji, 3.10pm
Wales v South Africa, 5.40pm
Italy v New Zealand, 8.10pm
Sunday
Scotland v Australia, 1.40pm
England v Japan, 4.10pm
01:52 PM GMT
The captaincy
Was this the time to try someone other than Jamie George?
On the Telegraph Rugby Podcast this week, I suggested that, perhaps, the hooker would be better coming off the bench and assuming the captaincy on arrival.
But George will continue as skipper against Japan.
01:42 PM GMT
England debutants
England debuts in 2024 (provided the whole bench is used on Sunday): Dingwall, Roots, Cunningham-South, F Smith, Feyi-Waboso, Roebuck, Baxter, Sleightholme, Opoku-Fordjour
Given quite a tough run of fixtures, that’s an admirable level of renewal.
— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) November 22, 2024
01:37 PM GMT
The return of Eddie
‘Without Borthwick, the Eddie Jones years would have fallen apart’
Jones’s Japan returns to Twickenham on Sunday and the Australian saw a talent for coaching in Borthwick which flourished during their time together with both the Cherry Blossoms and England, as Gavin Mairs writes here.
Incidentally, the rumour going around Pennyhill is that Jones has dropped out of his press conference today due to illness. More when we have it.
01:33 PM GMT
Thoughts?
Let us know in the comments!
01:30 PM GMT
Breaking! England team to face Japan
Starting XV: G Furbank; T Freeman, O Lawrence, H Slade, O Sleightholme; M Smith, J van Poortvliet; E Genge, J George (c), W Stuart, M Itoje, G Martin, T Curry, S Underhill, B Earl.
Replacements: L Cowan-Dickie, F Baxter, A Opoku-Fordjour, N Isiekwe, C Cunningham-South, H Randall, F Smith, T Roebuck.
Talking points
Tom Curry is straight back in despite two concussions in seven weeks – Cunningham-South on the bench;
Freddie Steward dropped and George Furbank straight back in;
Asher Opoku-Fordjour replaces Dan Cole as tighthead replacement on the bench;
Fin Smith replaces George Ford in the No 22 jersey;
Tom Roebuck other back sub with Harry Randall.
01:22 PM GMT
Who would you like to see given a go?
Let us know in the comments!
01:13 PM GMT
Marcus Smith
We are all expecting him to be named in the fly-half shirt, aren’t we?
Dropping him would be exceedingly harsh, but here Charlie Morgan analyses why he has not quite made the No 10 jersey his own yet.
01:07 PM GMT
Asher Opoku-Fordjour
Last night, Telegraph Sport reported that the 20-year-old Sale prop would come off the bench against Japan on Sunday.
Sale see him as a tighthead but England have previously said they see Opoku-Fordjour as a loosehead.
At 1.30pm today, when Steve Borthwick names his team, we should get more clarity.
01:02 PM GMT
Will Borthwick ring the changes?
Can England finally end their losing run and finish the autumn on an upbeat note?
Steve Borthwick’s men are overwhelming favourites to put a stop to their five-Test losing run against opponents ranked 13th in the world having already fallen to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa at Twickenham (Allianz Stadium) this month.
England’s inability to score points in the final quarter has keen key to their downfall, adding to the sense of frustration given that in each defeat they have been in a strong position with 20 minutes to go.
Tom Curry has returned to the squad, but will he start after suffering concussion issues? Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has lost his own race to be fit after both players were concussed in the 42-37 defeat by Australia in the second match of the series, ruling them out of Saturday’s 29-20 loss to South Africa.
Curry replaced Charlie Ewels in the group that assembled at England’s Surrey training base on Tuesday with Cadan Murley called up as a replacement for Elliot Daly, who is struggling with an unspecified injury.
Apart from the change enforced by Daly’s absence and the return of Curry, Borthwick has retained the same players who have been present throughout the autumn.
England must topple Japan to avoid a whitewash this month and even with Eddie Jones’ side ranked 13th in the global standings, Borthwick is likely to make only minor changes to his starting XV.
Follow the announcement live here…
