Dan Cole and Ben Youngs have been named in the England team to face South Africa for the opening match of the Old Mutual Wealth Series at Twickenham (kick-off 2.30pm).
Cole will make his 66th England appearance while Youngs will win cap No62 for his country. The Leicester Tigers players are two of the most experienced in a starting XV that has a total of 596 international caps between them.
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints) returns at flanker with Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) back on the left-wing following injury lay-off. Elliot Daly (Wasps) makes his first start at outside-centre having come off the bench to earn his previous five caps.
Dylan Hartley captains the side, while his Northampton Saints teammate Courtney Lawes will make his 50th England appearance.
Debutants Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Nathan Hughes (Wasps) and Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors) are named as replacements. There are also returns for Joe Marler (Harlequins) and Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby).
Head coach Eddie Jones said: ““We’ve trained well this week and I am pleased with how the players have come together and responded to some of the things we’ve asked them to do. The boys are focussed and ready to go.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to show how much depth we have in English rugby. With a few influential players not available for selection this is a great opportunity for some of the new faces to put both feet forward and we’re backing them to do the job for us.
“Test matches are always about the contest up front and South Africa pride themselves in the set piece but we’ll be ready for the challenge.”
The game will be shown as live, in full, on the big screens in Final Whistle in the Holland & Barrett Stand at Welford Road after full-time of Tigers’ Anglo-Welsh Cup fixture with Newport Gwent Dragons on Saturday.
Tickets for Tigers v Newport are available now. Call the ticket office on 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or visit www.leicestertigers.com/matchtickets.
England match-day 23 for the Old Mutual Wealth Series game against South Africa
15 Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins, 52 caps)
14 Marland Yarde (Harlequins, 9 caps)
13 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 5 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens, 43 caps)
11 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 19 caps)
10 George Ford (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 61 caps)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 35 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints, 75 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 65 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 35 caps)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 49 caps)
6 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 51 caps)
7 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 42 caps)
8 Billy Vunipola (vice captain, Saracens, 29 caps)
Replacements
16 Jamie George (Saracens, 8 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 42 caps)
18 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, uncapped)
19 Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 23 caps)
20 Nathan Hughes (Wasps, uncapped)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins, 62 caps)
22 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, uncapped)
23 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)
Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks) and Tommy Taylor (Wasps) are included in the squad as travelling reserves.
Cole will make his 66th England appearance while Youngs will win cap No62 for his country. The Leicester Tigers players are two of the most experienced in a starting XV that has a total of 596 international caps between them.
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints) returns at flanker with Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby) back on the left-wing following injury lay-off. Elliot Daly (Wasps) makes his first start at outside-centre having come off the bench to earn his previous five caps.
Dylan Hartley captains the side, while his Northampton Saints teammate Courtney Lawes will make his 50th England appearance.
Debutants Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Nathan Hughes (Wasps) and Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors) are named as replacements. There are also returns for Joe Marler (Harlequins) and Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby).
Head coach Eddie Jones said: ““We’ve trained well this week and I am pleased with how the players have come together and responded to some of the things we’ve asked them to do. The boys are focussed and ready to go.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to show how much depth we have in English rugby. With a few influential players not available for selection this is a great opportunity for some of the new faces to put both feet forward and we’re backing them to do the job for us.
“Test matches are always about the contest up front and South Africa pride themselves in the set piece but we’ll be ready for the challenge.”
The game will be shown as live, in full, on the big screens in Final Whistle in the Holland & Barrett Stand at Welford Road after full-time of Tigers’ Anglo-Welsh Cup fixture with Newport Gwent Dragons on Saturday.
Tickets for Tigers v Newport are available now. Call the ticket office on 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or visit www.leicestertigers.com/matchtickets.
England match-day 23 for the Old Mutual Wealth Series game against South Africa
15 Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins, 52 caps)
14 Marland Yarde (Harlequins, 9 caps)
13 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 5 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens, 43 caps)
11 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 19 caps)
10 George Ford (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 61 caps)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 35 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints, 75 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 65 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 35 caps)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 49 caps)
6 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 51 caps)
7 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 42 caps)
8 Billy Vunipola (vice captain, Saracens, 29 caps)
Replacements
16 Jamie George (Saracens, 8 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 42 caps)
18 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, uncapped)
19 Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 23 caps)
20 Nathan Hughes (Wasps, uncapped)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins, 62 caps)
22 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, uncapped)
23 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)
Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks) and Tommy Taylor (Wasps) are included in the squad as travelling reserves.
