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Two changes for England who also name Opoku-Fordjour on their bench
By Liam Heagney
Steve Borthwick will look to end his England team’s five-game winless run with an XV to host Japan that has two changes from last weekend’s defeat to South Africa and a rejigged bench that includes 20-year-old rookie Asher Opoku-Fordjour.
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The English lost out 20-29 to the Springboks and they will now close out their Autumn Nations Series with one change to their starting backs and one in their pack.
Dropped last weekend, George Furbank has been reinstated as the starting full-back with Freddie Steward excluded. Up front, the solitary change is the recall of the fit-again Tom Curry at the expense of Chandler Cunningham-South, who drops to the bench where he takes the spot that was held by Alex Dombrandt.
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Curry was knocked out in the first half of the November 9 loss to Australia, but he has been declared fit to pack down at blindside 15 days later in a back row where Sam Underhill, his replacement for the South Africa match, has retained his place.
Cunningham-South is one of three bench alterations with Opoku-Fordjour, a World Rugby U20 Championship winner last July in Cape Town, chosen ahead of regular tighthead back-up Dan Cole. There is also a call-up for Fin Smith, with George Ford missing out.
Ford was on the bench for the three previous November outings, but he was left in the stands as an unused option versus the Springboks and now gives way to Smith.
In an RFU team announcement statement, Borthwick said: “We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo. Japan are a dangerous team so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes.”
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England (vs Japan, Sunday)
15. George Furbank (Northampton Saints, 13 caps)
14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 14 caps)
13. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 30 caps)
12. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 68 caps)
11. Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 38 caps)
9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 15 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 65 caps) – vice-captain
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 96 caps) – captain
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 44 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 87 caps) – vice-captain
5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 18 caps)
6. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 55 caps)
7. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 39 caps)
8. Ben Earl (Saracens, 36 caps) – vice-captain
Replacements:
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 43 caps)
17. Fin Baxter (Harlequins, 5 caps)
18. Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks, uncapped)
19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 14 caps)
20. Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 10 caps)
21. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 10 caps)
22. Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
23. Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
"At Stormers there was a loosehead I just couldn’t figure out."
– INTERVIEW: Asher Opoku-Fordjour, with Liam Heagney ??? at the U20 Championship in Cape Town, on the art of scrummaging. #WorldRugbyU20s #EnglandRugby #RSAvENG #rugby
Tap below for more ??https://t.co/jgDnLN2Geo
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 7, 2024
Clearly Dombrandt isn't good enough but why even have him in the squad only to drop him for Japan and bring back an out of form Tom Curry? Give Curry the week off, he looks like he could do with a break!