George Ford and Freddie Steward have been recalled to the England side to face New Zealand with Steve Borthwick dropping last week’s captain Ellis Genge to the replacements and again loading his bench for Saturday’s showdown at Twickenham.
Ford comes back in at outhalf after sitting out the 38-18 victory over Fiji while Steward returns at fullback. But Borthwick has kept Tom Curry on the bench and opted to name Genge as well as fellow Lions Luke Cowan-Dickie and Will Stuart among the replacements.
Maro Itoje returns to captain the side and is partnered in the secondrow by Alex Coles with Ollie Chessum sidelined by a foot injury. Tommy Freeman, who is nursing a hamstring injury, also misses out with Toe Roebuck returning on the right wing.
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In total Borthwick has made seven changes to the side that beat Fiji but only the injury-enforced changes of Chessum for Coles and Ollie Lawrence for Freeman from the XV that overcame the Wallabies the week earlier.
Ford’s return to lead the side from the No 10 jersey was expected given his early season form for Sale and the manner in which he guided England past Australia. As a result, Fin Smith drops out of the 23 altogether with Marcus Smith providing cover from the No 23 jersey as one of six Lions on the bench.
Steward’s return comes with Borthwick opting against throwing Elliot Daly straight back into the fray for a first appearance since fracturing his arm while on Lions duty.
The decision to start with a frontrow of Fin Baxter, Jamie George and Joe Heyes demonstrates Borthwick’s determination to maximise his bench given the quality he has in reserve. Elsewhere among the replacements, Chandler Cunningham-South covers the secondrow while Henry Pollock and Ben Spencer complete a 6-2 split.
In the backrow, Sam Underhill returns at openside flanker with Guy Pepper keeping his place at blindside and Ben Earl shifting to number eight. Alex Mitchell keeps his place at scrumhalf while Fraser Dingwall and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso continue at inside centre and left wing respectively. – Guardian
ENGLAND (v New Zealand, Twickenham, Saturday, 3.10pm): Freddie Steward; Tom Roebuck, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Fin Baxter, Jamie George, Joe Heyes; Maro Itoje (capt), Alex Coles; Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Chandler Cunningham-South, Tom Curry, Henry Pollock, Ben Spencer, Marcus Smith.
