England prop Marler to start against New Zealand

England caput coach Steve Borthwick said location is nary bigger situation than playing nan All Blacks successful New Zealand aft naming his broadside for Saturday's first Test successful Dunedin.

Joe Marler and Will Stuart travel successful astatine prop arsenic Borthwick makes 2 changes to nan squad that started nan 52-17 triumph complete Japan a fortnight ago.

Meanwhile prop Fin Baxter and helping Ollie Sleightholme are group to make their England debuts from nan bench.

“The players want to trial themselves against nan champion teams around,” Borthwick told BBC Sport.

“We person unthinkable respect for New Zealand, but astatine nan aforesaid clip we person focused connected ourselves and connected what we request to do.

“I dream nan players erstwhile they propulsion connected nan garment connected Saturday night, truthful excited for this superb Test match, consciousness energised, inspired and fresh to bring their strengths and talent onto nan pitch.”

Stuart’s promotion to nan run-on broadside intends Dan Cole is group to triumph his 114th headdress arsenic a replacement, equalling Jason Leonard’s total.

Bevan Rodd drops retired of nan 23, pinch Marler winning his 95th headdress and chap Harlequin Baxter group for his first headdress astatine nan property of 22.

“Fin has been fantabulous each play for Harlequins, and has had a spot much clip pinch america successful campy now,” Borthwick said.

“I americium looking guardant to seeing him coming disconnected nan chair connected Saturday.”

The backline is unchanged from nan triumph successful Tokyo, pinch Marcus Smith retaining nan fly-half garment aft starring against nan Blossoms, and Northampton’s Premiership title victor Fin Smith among nan replacements.

“We cognize nan value Marcus has arsenic a player, everyone sees it,” Borthwick added.

“He is now an knowledgeable world 10. He will proceed to bring his constituent of quality onto nan pitch.

“And having spent much clip training pinch Alex Mitchell, much clip training pinch Mitch and Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade, I’ve seen that full business develop.

“That cohesion and consistency of players playing together is thing we person to effort and maximise.

“Having Marcus to commencement nan game, and a subordinate of nan calibre of Fin Smith to decorativeness nan game, that is an enviable position.”

Along pinch nan uncapped Baxter and Sleightholme, fastener Alex Coles and Ben Spencer besides travel into nan matchday squad.

Northampton helping Sleightholme, boy of erstwhile England helping Jon, enjoyed a standout play for nan Saints, topping nan league’s try-scoring charts including a solo effort successful nan last against Bath.

“He is simply a subordinate who has benefited from a spot much clip successful camp. He’s looked really bully successful training, and he intelligibly has a constituent of quality successful that he understands really to get to nan effort line,” Borthwick added.

The All Blacks haven’t played since nan Rugby World Cup last successful precocious October, and person since changed caput coach pinch Scott Robertson replacing Ian Foster.

A big of cardinal players person besides retired from world rugby, specified arsenic modern-day greats Sam Whitelock, Dane Coles, Brodie Retallick and Aaron Smith.

However Borthwick expects immoderate pillars of New Zealand rugby to stay sloppy of nan transitional quality of nan All Blacks.

“There are definite things you ever cognize pinch a New Zealand team,” said Borthwick.

“They are going to person pace, power, accomplishment and unthinkable talent. You spot that erstwhile you look astatine their squad, and you look astatine nan coaching squad and you spot a precocious calibre of coaching squad who person worked together a lot.

“We are expecting a really well-prepared New Zealand squad and a really aggravated Test lucifer successful Dunedin.”