Pollock named on bench as Borthwick reshuffles England XV to face Springboks at Ellis Park

Henry Pollock will begin from the bench when England face South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday, as Steve Borthwick names a starting XV that closely mirrors the side beaten 48-46 by France in the final round of the Six Nations earlier this year.

The 21-year-old Northampton Saints flanker, whose name has dominated headlines in South Africa in the build-up to the Nations Championship opener, has spent the majority of his Test career as a replacement and Borthwick appears to be replicating the Paris lineup as closely as injuries and availability allow.

Maro Itoje has been granted a rest this July, handing the captaincy to hooker Jamie George. In the second row, the fit-again George Martin — who missed the Six Nations — steps in for the British & Irish Lions skipper. The front row of Ellis Genge, George and Joe Heyes remains intact from the Paris defeat.

In the back row, Tom Curry returns from a calf injury sustained in England’s loss to Italy in round four of the Six Nations to replace Sam Underhill, who recently underwent shoulder surgery. Curry will partner Ollie Chessum and Ben Earl, with the Leicester Tigers man reprising his role at flanker.

The most significant enforced change in the backline sees George Furbank start at full-back, making his first Test appearance since 2024 after an injury-plagued 18 months. The Northampton Saints player, who guided his club to the Gallagher Premiership title, replaces Elliot Daly, who is currently nursing a broken arm.

Furbank will line up in the back three alongside Cadan Murley and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. The Exeter Chiefs wing missed the France fixture in March through injury and takes the place of Tom Roebuck, who is not currently in the England squad. The centre pairing of Seb Atkinson and Tommy Freeman is retained from Paris.

At scrum-half, Jack van Poortvliet starts ahead of Alex Mitchell, who has made only one bench appearance since returning from a hamstring injury. Mitchell is named among the replacements alongside Marcus Smith as one of two back options off the bench.

“Playing South Africa at Ellis Park is one of the great Tests in world rugby and an opportunity we’re excited to embrace,” said Borthwick. “We’ve prepared well since we arrived here last week and I sense a real excitement within the squad.”