Marcus And Fin Smith Return With Itoje On The Bench For England V Fiji Clash

Steve Borthwick has recalled Marcus and Fin Smith and named his skipper Maro Itoje connected nan chair for England’s autumn internationals conflict pinch Fiji. Ellis Genge will lead nan broadside from nan commencement pinch Borthwick ringing nan changes for Saturday’s brushwood pinch nan Pacific Islanders.

Marcus Smith comes successful astatine full-back pinch namesake Fin replacing George Ford astatine fly-half while Itoje drops to nan bench. Itoje, who exceeded nan mandated crippled limits past season, is listed arsenic co-captain on pinch Genge, who starts astatine loosehead prop. In total, Borthwick has made 7 unit changes pinch Ollie Lawrence, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Alex Coles and Chandler Cunningham-South coming into nan side. Tommy Freeman reverts to nan correct helping while Henry Pollock must make do pinch a spot connected nan chair again.

Marcus Smith past started for England successful their record triumph complete Wales successful Cardiff successful March and is again handed nan No 15 jersey contempt his penchant to play astatine fly-half. Freddie Steward, who started astatine full-back successful last weekend’s triumph complete Australia, has been struggling pinch a manus wounded and is absent from nan 23. Fin Smith, meanwhile, ousts Ford from nan No 10 jersey having been among nan replacements against nan Wallabies.

Lawrence, who has been successful good shape for Bath since returning from an achilles injury, gets nan motion astatine outside-centre pinch Freeman shifting to nan wing. Tom Roebuck, who impressed against Australia, picked up an ankle wounded successful training this play and is not named successful nan 23.

Borthwick’s determination to time off Itoje connected nan chair comes aft his dense workload successful caller years. The Saracens head of rugby, Mark McCall, gave Itoje an other week disconnected astatine nan commencement of nan play pursuing his exertions pinch nan Lions and was hopeful Borthwick whitethorn do akin this autumn. Genge will skipper nan broadside from nan commencement for nan 3rd clip pinch Itoje taking complete erstwhile he comes disconnected nan bench.

Elsewhere, Cowan-Dickie starts astatine hooker pinch Genge and Joe Heyes alongside him while Coles and Ollie Chessum commencement successful nan 2nd row. Guy Pepper remains astatine blindside flanker pinch Ben Earl shifting to openside and Cunningham-South coming successful astatine No 8. Sam Underhill drops retired of nan squad while Tom Curry is again connected nan bench.

Alex Mitchell and Fraser Dingwall support their places astatine scrum-half and inside-centre respectively while Immanuel Feyi-Waboso stays connected nan near wing. On nan chair are Jamie George, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Itoje, Curry, Pollock, Ben Spencer and Henry Arundell.

“It was a pleasing commencement to nan bid against Australia past weekend, and we cognize we’ll request to return different measurement guardant against Fiji,” said Borthwick. “The attraction for america this week is connected improving connected past weekend’s capacity and continuing to create our game.

“Fiji are a vulnerable squad pinch powerfulness and value correct crossed nan pitch. They play pinch physicality and skill, truthful we’ll request to bring intensity, accuracy and subject successful everything that we do. Playing successful beforehand of our supporters again astatine Allianz Stadium intends a immense magnitude to nan players, and nan squad are wished to present a capacity they tin beryllium proud of.”