George Furbank will make his first England start since November 2024 against South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday as South Africa vs England rugby 2026 begins. Henry Pollock is on the bench, and England start the Nations Championship with five changes to Steve Borthwick's XV.
Furbank back in England's XV
Furbank last featured for England in their victory over Japan in November 2024. Freddie Steward's injury opened the full-back spot, and the return gives England a player they have not started there for months at the top of a fixture list that opens their campaign immediately.
Jamie George will captain England in the absence of rested skipper Maro Itoje. That shifts the leadership load as England move into a match that asks for accuracy straight away, not experimentation.
Pollock left on the bench
Pollock's strong domestic form for Northampton Saints had put him in line for his second Test start, but Tom Curry and Ben Earl were preferred in the back row. Steve Borthwick has kept the selection tight in the most competitive area of the team, and the call leaves Pollock waiting despite the pressure of his recent club form.
There are five changes from the side that lost 48-46 to France in March. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso returns on the wing, Jack van Poortvliet comes back at scrum-half, and George Martin is restored in the second row in place of Itoje.
England's opening selection
Van Poortvliet edged out Alex Mitchell for the scrum-half role after Mitchell returned from a hamstring injury in Northampton's Gallagher Prem final victory over Exeter last month. The picture is straightforward: England have chosen continuity in some spots and fresh legs in others, with the back row and half-back decisions doing most of the work.
Borthwick said, "Playing South Africa at Ellis Park is one of the great Tests in world rugby and an opportunity we're excited to embrace." He added, "We've prepared well since we arrived here last week and I sense a real excitement within the squad to get our Nations Championship campaign underway."
The selection also points to the next checkpoint. Benhard Janse van Rensburg became eligible to play for England in their next Test against Fiji in Liverpool on July 11, but for this trip the immediate task is the South Africa Test and the starting XV Borthwick has settled on.
