Centre Henry Slade, who did not play a minute of England’s Six Nations campaign earlier this year, has been recalled to the starting line-up to face Fiji on Saturday as head coach Steve Borthwick attempts to avoid a sixth successive Test defeat.
Slade, 33, has previously admitted that he was frustrated to be out of England’s midfield equation., external He finished the domestic season in excellent form, leading Exeter to the Prem final.
His return means Northampton’s Tommy Freeman is deployed in his more accustomed wing position after a year-long experiment to convert him into an outside centre.
Guy Pepper replaces Tom Curry at openside flanker in the other change to the starting XV, while the uncapped trio of Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Noah Caluori and George Kloska are poised to make their Test debuts off the bench.
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England: M Smith; Freeman, Slade, Atkinson, Feyi-Waboso; F Smith, van Poortvliet; Genge, George, Heyes, Coles, Martin, Chessum, Pepper, Earl.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Opoku-Fordjour, Kloska, Curry, Pollock, Mitchell, Janse van Rensburg, Caluori.
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Slade was a late call-up to the matchday 23 who lost to South Africa last Saturday, filling in on the bench after starting full-back George Furbank suffered an appendicitis.
He replaced injured wing Cadan Murley on 54 minutes, with England finishing the 45-21 defeat by the Springboks with the same backline they have named to start against Fiji.
“We’ve had a really positive week of preparation, and the players have worked hard in training,” said Borthwick.
“We know Fiji will provide a tough challenge. They are a dangerous side who will demand the very best from us.”
England’s defeat by South Africa follows a dismal Six Nations campaign that featured losses to Scotland, Ireland, Italy and France.
While Borthwick has been backed through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia by Rugby Football Union bosses, their faith, and that of England’s fanbase will be tested if their streak extends to a sixth Test reverse.
England will travel to Argentina on 18 July in the final round of the summer leg of the new Nations Championships.
