South Africa vs England: George Furbank to make his debut in two years.

George Furbank will make his first England cap in two years in Saturday’s National Team Championship opener against South Africa in Johannesburg.

Furbank will line up in a back three with Cadan Murley and Emmanuel Faye-Waboso, partnering center Tommy Freeman with Seb Atkinson.

Strikers George Martin make his first England start since the 2025 Six Nations, joining Alex Coles in the second row with Ollie Chesum on the blind side.

Henry Pollock was among his replacements as Northampton won the Premier League.

“Playing South Africa at Ellis Park is one of the greatest tests in world rugby and an opportunity we are delighted to welcome,” said head coach Steve Borthwick.

With regular captain Maro Itoje rested and absent from the tour, Jamie George will lead the charge and is part of an experienced front row alongside supporters Ellis Genge and Joe Hayes.

Ben Earle and Tom Curry make up the back row, while Jack Van Portviet sits at number nine alongside fly-half Finn Smith.

England: Furbank; Fay-Waboso, Freeman, Atkinson, Murley: F Smith, Van Portviet; Jenge, George, Hayes, Coles, Martin, Chesum, Carey, Earl.

ReplacementsCowan-Dickie, Obano, Opoku-Fordjour, Ewells, Pepper, Pollock, Mitchell, M Smith.