Tom Curry will start for England against Japan at Twickenham this Sunday just two weeks after being knocked out during a game against Australia.
The decision to place Curry as blindside flanker is one of two changes made following England’s 29-20 defeat by South Africa last Saturday, with George Furbank also returning as full-back.
Despite suffering his second concussion of the season and fifth in two years, Curry has been chosen over Chandler Cunningham-South, who will now be on the bench.
Furbank’s promotion comes at the expense of Freddie Steward, who was brought back for the South Africa game due to his aerial skills but has now been dropped from the squad entirely.
With Japan’s fast-paced playing style putting pressure on defences, less emphasis is placed on Steward’s aerial abilities.
Head coach Steve Borthwick will be looking for more from Furbank, who will act as a second playmaker alongside Marcus Smith, after his subdued performances against New Zealand and Australia.
Asher Opoku-Fordjour is expected to make his Test debut off the bench, having only been called into the training squad when Joe Marler announced his retirement from Test matches ahead of the opener against New Zealand.
Rising star Opoku-Fordjour joins the England squad as tighthead prop cover after his triumphant run with the England Under-20 team that clinched the junior World Cup over the summer, resulting in veteran Dan Cole missing out on a bench spot.
In another shake-up, George Ford is left off the list of replacements, with newcomer Fin Smith getting the nod as fly-half backup for this season’s opening autumn match.
Stuck in their worst slump since 2018 with a string of five consecutive defeats, England are hoping to buck the trend.
Head coach Steve Borthwick warned of a formidable opponent, though: “We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo.
“Japan are a dangerous team so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes.”
