Cunningham-South to make first start & Marcus Smith at fly-half

Marcus Smith is astatine fly-half and flanker Chandler Cunningham-South will make his first Test commencement erstwhile England look Eddie Jones' Japan successful Tokyo connected Saturday.

Cunningham-South, 21, is named successful nan XV for nan first time, while Sale helping Tom Roebuck is group for a debut from nan chair arsenic Steve Borthwick names a beardown side.

Marcus Smith starts complete namesake Fin, pinch Northampton's Premiership title victor among nan replacements.

It is nan first clip England will play a Test lucifer against nan Brave Blossoms successful Japan.

"We're looking guardant to nan situation of playing Japan astatine their nationalist stadium," said Borthwick.

"Conditions successful Tokyo mean we'll request to beryllium accurate, support our discipline, and support a level of strength successful our capacity from nan first whistle to nan last.

"We will request to beryllium astatine our very champion against an force who will want to play fast."

Hooker Jamie George captains nan squad pinch Bevan Rodd and Dan Cole alongside him successful nan beforehand row.

It is George's first circuit arsenic skipper having led England during nan 2024 Six Nations.

"I consciousness comfortable and person felt comfortable from nan start, it is easy erstwhile you person a group for illustration his who are truthful keen and are having to beryllium pulled back," George told BBC Sport.

"That's a bully spot to beryllium arsenic a captain. I americium besides very fortunate to person nan coaching unit that we do who are truthful attentive and their attraction to item is perfectly 2nd to none. They make my life very, very easy.

"I besides person immoderate very knowledgeable guys, but besides immoderate young guys pinch immense activity imaginable successful Ben Earl, Marcus Smith and group for illustration that, who you tin springiness nan reigns to a small bit. That is hugely exciting."

George Martin and Maro Itoje are nan locks, pinch Sam Underhill and Ben Earl joining Cunningham-South successful nan backmost row.

The backline has a acquainted look from nan Six Nations, pinch Alex Mitchell astatine scrum-half, Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence successful nan midfield, and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tommy Freeman and George Furbank making up a lively backmost three.

"We had a large flip successful accent connected nan measurement we want to onslaught [through nan Six Nations]," said Slade.

"We realised if we did a small spot much attraction connected onslaught what we could do. Some of nan players successful nan squad person unbelievable X-factor, talent, velocity and power. So it was conscionable astir getting nan shot retired to those boys.

"You've sewage boys for illustration Manny [Feyi-Waboso] and Tommy Freeman successful nan extracurricular channels. Some of those boys are unbelievable runners, truthful if we get nan shot successful nan manus and fto them do what they tin do.

"We started to do that during nan extremity of nan run and agelong whitethorn it continue."

England: Furbank, Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Lawrence, Freeman, M Smith, Mitchell, Rodd, George (capt), Cole, Itoje, Martin, Cunningham-South, Underhill, Earl

Replacements: Dan, Marler, Stuart, Ewels, Curry, Randall, F Smith, Roebuck