Ahead of the highly anticipated clash with South Africa at Stade de France on Saturday, 21 October, England’s head coach, Steve Borthwick, has announced the match-day 23, unveiling three alterations to the starting XV that secured victory against Fiji in the quarter-finals.
The revised starting lineup includes the following changes:
- Joe Marler and George Martin stepping in at loosehead prop and second-row, respectively, in place of Ellis Genge and Ollie Chessum, who move to the bench.
- Freddie Steward making a return as full-back, replacing Marcus Smith, who has been excluded from the match-day 23 entirely.
The Starting XV comprises:
- Joe Marler
- Jamie George
- Dan Cole
- Maro Itoje
- George Martin
- Courtney Lawes
- Tom Curry
- Ben Earl
- Alex Mitchell
- Owen Farrell (c)
- Elliot Daly
- Manu Tuilagi
- Joe Marchant
- Jonny May
- Freddie Steward
The Replacements are:
- Theo Dan
- Ellis Genge
- Kyle Sinckler
- Ollie Chessum
- Billy Vunipola
- Danny Care
- George Ford
- Ollie Lawrence
Noteworthy insights about the team and key players:
- Joe Marler is set to make his third start of the year, previously starting against South Africa in Cape Town back in 2018.
- George Martin, a relative newcomer, earns his fourth start since his debut in 2021, with his last start occurring against Chile in Pool D.
- Thirteen players from the RWC 2019 final are part of this match-day squad, with six of them being repeated starters in both instances.
- Owen Farrell is poised to join Will Carling as the only England captain to lead the team in two Rugby World Cup semi-finals, marking his 99th start in his 111th test for England. His captaincy record against South Africa stands at two wins out of six matches, both secured in 2018.
- Ben Earl has showcased exceptional performance statistics at RWC 2023, notably leading in minutes played, carries, tackles, and ruck involvements.
- Maro Itoje’s remarkable track record against South Africa highlights his significant game time across tests for England and the British and Irish Lions, maintaining a notable streak of 16 consecutive matches playing the full 80 minutes.
With the stage set for a high-stakes encounter, both teams are gearing up for an electrifying battle to secure a spot in the Rugby World Cup final.
