Borthwick names reshuffled England squad for All Blacks test as three injuries bite

Steve Borthwick has named a 36-man England squad for Saturday’s Nations Championship fixture against New Zealand at Twickenham, making three injury-enforced changes to the group that opened the campaign with victories over Japan and Australia.

Tom Curry, wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and scrum-half Harry Randall have all been ruled out, with uncapped Harlequins flanker Jack Kenningham, Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland and Bath centre Max Ojomoh called in as replacements. Kenningham’s inclusion is the most notable, the 26-year-old set to join the forwards group without a senior England cap to his name.

The bulk of the squad remains unchanged from the one named on 2 November, reflecting Borthwick’s satisfaction with a campaign that has so far yielded two wins from two. England’s most recent outing was a 78-15 demolition of Eddie Jones’ Japan, a result that follows their earlier victory over Australia and sends them into the All Blacks fixture with considerable momentum.

New Zealand arrive at Twickenham in a markedly different mood. Warren Gatland’s Wales stunned the All Blacks in Cardiff last week, leaving New Zealand with a point to prove and a potential Nations Championship final still within reach for both sides. The stakes on Saturday are significant — a result here could go a long way to deciding who advances to the tournament’s concluding stage.

The full squad assembles at Pennyhill Park ahead of the fixture, with Saracens providing the largest contingent through the likes of Maro Itoje, Jamie George, Ben Earl, Theo Dan and George Martin. Northampton Saints also feature heavily, with Alex Coles, Emmanuel Iyogun, Tom Pearson, Henry Pollock, Fraser Dingwall, Tommy Freeman, McParland and Fin Smith all included.

Full squad

Forwards: Fin Baxter, Ollie Chessum, Arthur Clark, Alex Coles, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ben Curry, Theo Dan, Ben Earl, Greg Fisilau, Jamie George, Ellis Genge, Joe Heyes, Maro Itoje, Emmanuel Iyogun, Jack Kenningham, George Martin, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Tom Pearson, Henry Pollock, Will Stuart.

Backs: Seb Atkinson, Fraser Dingwall, George Ford, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Will Joseph, Joe Marchant, Archie McParland, Cadan Murley, Max Ojomoh, Henry Slade, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer, Freddie Steward, Jack van Poortvliet.