England make four changes for high-stake clash against South Africa
Freddie Steward starts at fullback for England
©Steve Haag
England head coach Steve Borthwick has reshuffled his England line-up for Saturday's high-profile showdown against reigning world champions South Africa.
Freddie Steward and Jack van Poortvliet have been recalled to the starting XV, with Steward taking over at full-back from George Furbank while van Poortvliet replaces Ben Spencer at scrum-half in what will be his first international appearance since a severe ankle injury in August.
Borthwick’s changes also see Sam Underhill and Ollie Sleightholme come into the starting side. Underhill and Sleightholme replace Tom Curry and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who both miss out after suffering concussions. For Sleightholme, it will be a milestone as he earns his first international start.
Steward’s inclusion at full-back reflects a strategic shift in anticipation of South Africa’s emphasis on aerial play. Known for his strength under high balls, the Leicester full-back is particularly effective in contests for possession.
Steward was temporarily dropped during the Six Nations as England experimented with new tactical approaches but re-entered the scene during the New Zealand tour following an injury to Furbank.
Van Poortvliet, a highly regarded young scrum-half, makes his return to the squad after recovering from a significant ankle injury that had ruled him out of the Rugby World Cup. The Leicester No. 9 was expected to be England’s starting choice in the tournament but now returns to bring agility and energy to Borthwick’s backline.
England's match against South Africa is steeped in recent history, with Borthwick’s squad seeking to avenge last year’s World Cup semi-final loss to the Springboks.
The fixture also represents a chance for England to secure their first victory of the autumn after defeats to New Zealand and Australia.
"We’re excited to challenge ourselves against the world’s top-ranked team and back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions,” said Borthwick.
“Test matches against South Africa are always thrilling contests, and I’m sure Saturday will be no exception.”
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Henry Slade, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 George Martin, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Jamie George, 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Alex Dombrandt, 21 Harry Randall, 22 George Ford, 23 Tom Roebuck
