The head coach of the England rugby team, Steve Borthwick, has unhesitatingly chosen players who recently competed in the Gallagher Premiership final to be part of his match-day squad to face Japan on Saturday. The squad was confirmed this morning and comprises of eight players who were involved in the domestic silverware competition just 10 days ago.
Notable inclusions in the squad are Bristol Bears scrum-half Harry Randall, who has been named on the bench for the upcoming match. He is expected to provide support to Premiership winner Alex Mitchell, who will start at the number nine position. Randall, who made his England debut in 2021 and earned six caps for his country, experienced a period of being out of favour before returning to the international set-up earlier this year.
However, uncapped Bristol hooker Gabriel Oghre has not made the matchday squad on this occasion, with Borthwick opting for skipper Jamie George and his teammate Theo Dan as his options in the specialist front row position.
In terms of leadership, Jamie George will captain England for their first official Test match against Japan. He will be supported by four vice-captains, namely Maro Itoje, Ben Earl, Henry Slade, and Joe Marler.
Borthwick has assembled a formidable squad for the first Test of the summer series, with much anticipation for the upcoming double header against New Zealand in July. Commenting on the upcoming challenge against Japan, Borthwick said, “We’re looking forward to the challenge of playing Japan at their National Stadium.”
The England team to face Japan has been confirmed as follows:
(continue with the list of the team members)
The upcoming matches are scheduled as part of England’s Summer Series:
– Japan v England, Saturday 22 June, National Stadium, kick-off 6.50am BST (RugbyPass TV)
– New Zealand v England, Saturday 6 July, Forsyth Barr Stadium, kick-off 8.05am BST (Sky Sports)
– New Zealand v England, Saturday 13 July, Eden Park, kick-off 8.05am BST (Sky Sports)
The stage is set for an exciting clash between England and Japan, with the inclusion of Bristol Bears star Harry Randall adding an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming fixture. Stay tuned for an action-packed encounter this Saturday!