England reveals team to face Boks in first Test
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Hurricanes captain Brad Shields has been named on England’s bench for Saturday’s first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Owen Farrell (Saracens) will captain the side while club teammate Mako Vunipola will run out for his 50th England cap.
Head coach Eddie Jones has included seven players in the starting XV who were involved in the Premiership final between Saracens and Exeter Chiefs two weekends ago.
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens) will make his first start for England while two uncapped players – Shields (Hurricanes/ Wasps) and Ben Spencer (Saracens) – are named as replacements.
“We have had a really good week in preparation for this weekend and we are pleased with the way the squad has come together,” said Jones.
“Owen Farrell has settled in well to his new role, with the senior players supporting him, and there is a good feeling within the camp. We want to do something special on this tour and the players are all incredibly excited about this challenge and opportunity we have.
“Ellis Park is the spiritual homeland of South African rugby and the Springboks play to another level on that ground, so we know we have to raise our game physically early on and be enormously accurate in the way we play.”
England will play South Africa in three Tests in Johannesburg (June 9), Bloemfontein (June 16) and Cape Town (June 23).
England: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Jonny May, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Owen Farrell (captain), 11 Mike Brown, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 Nick Isiekwe, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Piers Francis, 23 Denny Solomona.
Date: Saturday, June 9
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17.00 (16.00 UK time; 15.00 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
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