Steve Borthwick has left Henry Pollock out of England’s starting XV for the Rugby Nations Championship opener against South Africa at Ellis Park. The 21-year-old Northampton flanker is set to be used as an impact player, while England begin a match that comes after four successive Test defeats.
Pollock’s omission is the clear selection call. Tom Curry and Ben Earl start in the back row, with Ollie Chessum added to strengthen that unit for the trip to South Africa in the Nations Championship opener.
George Furbank’s return adds another layer to England’s selection. He is starting for the first time since November 2024, and his view of Pollock is blunt: “He’s such a dangerous ball carrier” and “I don’t think you get too many back rowers who carry like him. He’s a really hard guy to stop.”
George Martin returns for England
George Martin is back at Test level for the first time since February last year, with Jack van Poortvliet selected at scrum-half and Manny Feyi-Waboso back in the back three. England’s starting group points to Borthwick choosing a more experienced frame around the young flankers rather than asking Pollock to start in a game where contact and territory will be tested early.
The contrast is the point of the team. Pollock has drawn attention because of his form and because of the anticipation around his collision with South Africa, but Borthwick has kept him in reserve for a possible injection later in the match. That leaves England with Curry and Earl as the early back-row pair and Pollock waiting for the moment when tempo or fatigue changes the picture.
Ellis Park selection call
England need a sharper start than the one that produced four successive Test defeats, including the 48-46 loss to France in Paris in March after they nearly confounded France with fast-tempo rugby. This selection shows Borthwick trying to keep the pace in the side without leaning on Pollock from the first whistle.
For Pollock, the immediate answer is simple: he is in the matchday picture, but not in the starting XV. The next question is how much of Ellis Park he will see once England’s opener settles into its rhythm.
