Ahead of England’s Test against the Springboks on Saturday, here is how we think Steve Borthwick’s side will line up at Ellis Park, Johannesburg.
England come into this Test in real flux following a bitterly disappointing Six Nations campaign, but with that comes change. And Borthwick’s wider 36-man squad suggests that is very much the case.
The England head coach has named five uncapped players within his touring party, in the form of Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Noah Caluori, Greg Fisilau, George Kloska and Vilikesa Sela, while also bringing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso into the mould after he missed the Six Nations through injury.
Elsewhere, Jamie George will captain the side in place of Maro Itoje, who is being rested this July.
Backline to suit the new system
England’s wider squad suggests their backline will have a very different feel to it this summer compared to the Six Nations, with much more emphasis on ball-in-hand play. We were actually given a glimpse of this in the uncapped England XV v France XV game, with England looking to create broken field, exploit the wide channels and then hit their strike threats.
That system screams for an expansive, quick back-three, which lends itself to George Furbank, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Cadan Murley. Both wingers have that rare combination of lightning pace and genuine power in the contact, which will really suit the intent to play wide. With that, Furbank’s desire to hit the space, either with ball-in-hand himself or with his playmaking skills, will also tick that box for Borthwick.
Tommy Freeman is likely to continue in the centres this summer, albeit with the caveat that he ended the club season back on the wing, and seems likely to start at 13 as a result. The way he plays 13 is markedly different to any of Borthwick’s other options, but it will be interesting to see how he slots into this new shape. Freeman is at his best when he’s given a floating role and allowed to come off his wing, but at 13, he just organically gets more time on the ball, while his ability to cut back against the grain gives another layer of threat within this ball-playing attack.
England also now like to have their 12 act as the first receiver to allow the fly-half to sit a bit deeper, which points to Seb Atkinson retaining the shirt he won during the Six Nations, given how comfortable he is in that spot for both club and country. He can also give a helping hand in the carry, particularly post-contact. Janse van Rensburg is ineligible for this Test, but could make his full debut next weekend.
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The half-backs should have a very distinct Northampton feel to them, with Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell the likely pairing. Crucially, this style will really allow both of them to inject themselves into the game as they like, with Mitchell expected to be given the freedom to play fast around the ruck and offer his sniping threat, while Smith also gets to sit into those deeper pockets where he can control the shape and get his backline in the right holes to play from.
Ben Spencer and Marcus Smith are also likely to be the backs on the bench, with Borthwick likely to meet fire with fire and deploy a 6:2 split.
Henry Pollock headlines the pack calls
The pack is also probably going to have a slightly different outlook to it this weekend, especially in the back-row. The signs are pointing to more of a big bopper at blindside, which could see either Ollie Chessum shift across from lock or Ted Hill come into the run-on group as well. In the here and now, it does seem that Chessum is primed for a starting role in the back-row, given the Leicester man’s exploits in the six shirt against France at the end of the Six Nations. This also gives England an extra lineout operator.
Who joins him is also a very interesting topic. It seems Henry Pollock is set for his biggest challenge in an England shirt yet with a start somewhere in the back-row with Ben Earl also featuring in the starting unit and expected to lead the charge in the carry.
To start with, it could actually be Pollock handed the eight shirt with Earl back on the flank, but both players have the ability to swap between the two positions as and when needed, which creates a very interesting dynamic and one that could add a nice layer of intrigue to their pack.
With Chessum in the back-row and Maro Itoje rested, the door also seems wide open for George Martin to make his Test comeback. The Saracens-bound lock will also bring some proper defensive steel to England’s pack, which is always needed when taking on the Boks. Alex Coles seems his likely lock partner in the run-on group.
The front-row should remain as it was at the end of the Six Nations, given their impressive scrummaging form, with Joe Heyes, Jamie George and Ellis Genge all starting.
As mentioned above, England could run a forward-dominated bench for the clash. The two prop calls are actually quite interesting, given it’s virtually a new-look unit underneath the starters, but Beno Obano and Asher Opoku-Fordjour seem the likely options at 17 and 18. Around them, Luke Cowan-Dickie’s Test experience will also be a huge plus in a Test like this.
The back-five is actually a very fluid unit in this England pack, given Chessum and Coles can slide across the positions, which could see Borthwick opt for three back-rowers on his bench. Hill could be a good asset to have here, especially with him also able to slot in at lock if needed, while Tom Curry could also feature off the bench. England potentially need another carrier in the tight within their bench, to go alongside the likes of Pollock and Earl, which points to Greg Fisilau being handed a Test debut.
England predicted team in full
Starting XV: 15 George Furbank, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Tommy Freeman, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Ollie Chessum, 5 Alex Coles, 4 George Martin, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Jamie George, 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Ted Hill, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Greg Fisilau, 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Marcus Smith