England make fly half decision as Steve Borthwick names team to face Japan

England head to Tokyo on Saturday to face a Japan side led by their former coach Eddie Jones

Marcus Smith (l) and Fin Smith (r) have been vying for England’s fly half jersey (Getty Images)

Marcus Smith will start at fly half for England ahead of namesake Fin Smith as coach Steve Borthwick makes four enforced changes for their first Test of the summer against Japan that could also see powerful wing Tom Roebuck handed his debut.

With Owen Farrell and George Ford unavailable, Marcus Smith has been handed the No 10 jersey to partner scrum half Alex Mitchell on Saturday in England’s first ever Test against their hosts in Japan. Fin Smith is among the replacements.

Other changes from the 33-31 Six Nations finale defeat to France in March see prop Bevan Rodd come in for Ellis Genge and flanker Chandler Cunningham-South make his first international start in place of Ollie Chessum.

Wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso takes over from Elliot Daly, who misses the three-match tour of Japan and New Zealand to attend the birth of his first child.

“Conditions in Tokyo mean we’ll need to be accurate, keep our discipline, and maintain a level of intensity in our performance from the first whistle to the last,” Borthwick said. “We will need to be at our very best against an opponent who will want to play fast.”

George Furbank starts at full back, with wing Tommy Freeman the other piece of the back three, and Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade are the centre pairing.

Rodd is joined in the front row by Dan Cole and hooker Jamie George, who captains the side, with Maro Itoje and George Martin the lock pairing. Sam Underhill and No 8 Ben Earl are at the back of the scrum alongside Cunningham-South.

Chandler Cunningham-South will make his first England start (PA Wire)

There is a potential debut off the bench for uncapped Sale Sharks wing Roebuck, while flanker Tom Curry, recently returned from long-term injury that kept him out of the Six Nations, is also among the replacements.

After England’s Test in Japan they travel to New Zealand for fixtures on 6 July and 13 July, where they will look to beat the All Blacks away from home for the first time in 21 years.

England team to play Japan: 15. George Furbank, 14. Immanuel Feyi. Waboso, 13. Henry Slade, 12. Ollie Lawrence, 11. Tommy Freeman, 10. Marcus Smith, 9. Alex Mitchell; 1. Bevan Rodd, 2. Jamie George (captain), 3. Dan Cole, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. George Martin, 6. Chandler Cunningham-South, 7. Sam Underhill, 8. Ben Earl

Replacements: 16. Theo Dan, 17. Joe Marler, 18. Will Stuart, 9. Charlie Ewels, 20. Tom Curry, 21. Harry Randall, 22. Fin Smith, 23. Tom Roebuck

Reuters