England overhaul squad for Japan with 10 changes to XV and one debutant

Steve Borthwick has made wholesale changes to his squad to take on Japan this Saturday in the Nations Championship from the one that defeated Australia 45-22.

With a six-day turnaround between Tests, only five members of the XV that defeated Australia will start again – captain Maro Itoje, player of the match Henry Slade, Jack van Poortvliet, Ben Earl and Alex Coles. Of that quintet, Earl and Coles have shifted position, with the pair starting on either flank having packed down at No.8 and second-row last week.

Earl’s positional change means Henry Pollock will start just his second match for England. Despite scoring two tries in a 40-minute cameo on the wing last week against Australia, the 14-cap international will revert to his more familiar role in the back-row for the visit from Eddie Jones’ side, starting at No.8.

Pollock’s stint on the wing was a result of a series-ending ankle injury sustained by Immanuel Feyi-Waboso in the first half at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium. The Exeter Chiefs star has been replaced by the in-form Will Joseph, who will win his second cap four years after Jones capped him as a 19-year-old against Australia in 2022. Joseph will start on the right wing, with Cadan Murley starting on the left in place of the rested Tommy Freeman.

There are further changes to the backline, with Max Ojomoh replacing Seb Atkinson at inside centre to earn his third cap. The Gloucester centre injured his hip in the second half of the Wallabies match, but has remained in camp for rehabilitation.

Ojomoh, meanwhile, is fresh from a commanding performance for England A against an Argentina XV last week at the Rec. The Bath star will reform a centre partnership with Henry Slade that thrived in a 27-23 win over Argentina in November 2025.

With George Furbank and Ollie Chessum both in camp for rehabilitation this week, Freddie Steward has returned to the squad to start at full-back, and George Martin will start in the second-row, which has shifted Coles to blindside flanker, where he actually packed down against the Wallabies.

After passing a late fitness test before the meeting with Australia following a calf injury, fly-half Fin Smith has been given the week off ahead of the All Blacks next week, with George Ford set to start.

The starting front-row has been completely overhauled this week, with Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Asher Opoku-Fordjour starting. There is only one survivor from last week’s trio in the squad, with Joe Heyes starting on the bench. Fin Baxter and Jamie George are due to be rested, with Theo Dan serving as the replacement hooker on the bench and Emmanuel Iyogun the substitute loosehead.

Having made his England debut against Argentina in July, Iyogun is one of three members of the bench with one cap to their name, alongside Gloucester lock Arthur Clark, who made his debut against the USA in 2025 and Greg Fisilau, who came on from the bench last week for his first cap. Fisilau is one of two back-row options on the bench, with Ben Curry.

Northampton Saints’ 21-year-old scrum-half, Archie McParland, meanwhile, is set to make his debut from the bench. He is one of two backline options in a 6-2 split, alongside Marcus Smith.

“Japan are a very well-coached side who will challenge us in different ways, and we know we’ll need to bring intensity throughout the game,” said Borthwick.

“The atmosphere at Allianz Stadium last week was incredible. The players really fed off the energy in the stadium, and we’re really looking forward to being back on Saturday.”

On McParland’s potential debut, he added: “We’re all delighted for Archie. He’s had some bad luck with injury, so it’s especially pleasing to be able to name him in an England matchday 23 for the first time. He’s an outstanding young talent who has worked hard to get to this point, and we’re all excited to see how he goes.”

England XV: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Will Joseph, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Cadan Murley, 10 George Ford (vc), 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Ellis Genge (vc), 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 5 George Martin, 6 Alex Coles, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Henry Pollock.

Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Arthur Clark, 20 Ben Curry, 21 Greg Fisilau, 22 Archie McParland, 23 Marcus Smith.