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England Saxons have named their match-day 23 to face South Africa ‘A‘ ahead of the first game in Bloemfontein on Friday
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The starting 15 features a wealth of senior England experience, with a total of 60 caps shared among the side
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Danny Cipriani starts for the men in white at fly-half
Danny Cipriani will start fly-half when England Saxons face South Africa A in Bloemfontein on Friday.
The starting 15 features a wealth of senior England experience, with a total of 60 caps shared among the side, led by captain Dave Attwood.
Ollie Devoto and Tommy Taylor, who both came off the bench to gain their first England caps in the recent Old Mutual Wealth Cup against Wales, are among the names starting on Friday.
Saxons will play South Africa’s second team for the first time at Bloemfontein’s Free State stadium, kicking off at 6.10pm BST with the match broadcast live on Sky Sports 3.
Head Coach Ali Hepher said: “We’re really pleased with how the group is progressing together. We’re developing the players, which is key to this tour, and we now want to see how they perform on the international stage.
“Friday night offers us a fantastic challenge and this game will tell us where we’re at, what we’ve got to work on and improve, and to see the strengths the guys have on the field.
“We want to see a team that doesn’t hold back, that is fearless in the way it puts itself out there, but is also very accurate, playing smart rugby with or without the ball.”
The squad arrived in South Africa on Wednesday 1 June and have spent the past week training at the Sharks’ Kings Park Stadium in Durban, before they fly on to Bloemfontein tomorrow.