Bath lock Charlie Ewels will captain the England team to play Portugal on Sunday at Leicester Tigers Stadium.
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The starting side includes five players already capped at Test level, including Ewels, who has made 30 international appearances. Of the match day 23, 17 have come through the pathway system representing either England U18 or U20.
The squad, which features some of the biggest names from the Gallagher Premiership, has been training in the East Midlands this week under the leadership of head coach George Skivington, attack coach Sam Vesty and defence coach Dom Waldouck. The coaching trio selected the match day 23 in consultation with England senior men’s head coach Steve Borthwick and RFU Executive Director of Performance Rugby Conor O’Shea.
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SKIVINGTON ON SELECTION
“It’s been great to get together with the group this week at Loughborough and I’ve been really impressed by the high standards they’ve shown. We’ve put the boys through a challenging programme that has tested them to the intense rigour that Portugal will arrive with on Sunday.
“Our visitors are in the midst of the Rugby Europe Championship and will no doubt be using Sunday as an opportunity to experiment, but their strength as a union has been evident recently. They will certainly provide a stern test for us, but it’s a test that the players, Dom, Sam and I are relishing.
“I am really excited to see the side take to the field against Portugal on Sunday. I really believe we have assembled a squad that possesses some of the most exciting developing talent the Gallagher Premiership has to offer, and I’m sure they’ll put on a show for the fans in Leicester.”
ENGLAND A TEAM TO FACE PORTUGAL
Starting
15. Josh Hodge (Exeter Chiefs)
14. Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
13. Oscar Beard (Harlequins)
12. Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby)
11. Will Muir (Bath Rugby)
10. Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester)
9. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears)
1. Fin Baxter (Harlequins)
2. Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons)
3. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers)
4. Rusiate Tuima (Exeter Chiefs)
5. Charlie Ewels (c) (Bath Rugby)
6. Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints)
7. Guy Pepper (Newcastle Falcons)
8. Alfie Barbeary (Bath Rugby)
Replacements
16. Sam Riley (Harlequins)
17. Tarek Haffar (Northampton Saints)
18. Josh Iosefa-Scott (Exeter Chiefs)
19. Ben Bamber (Sale Sharks)
20. Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
21. Caolan Englefield (Gloucester)
22. Jamie Shillcock (Leicester Tigers)
23. Oliver Hartley (Saracens)
Sir Ian McGeechan Asked To Name His All-Time XV, He Said Only One ‘Unbelievable’ Player Is Guaranteed A Spot
Sir Ian McGeechan has unveiled his ultimate XV, omitting Paul O’Connell, David Campese, and Jonny Wilkinson from his lineup.
In his article for The Telegraph, the 74-year-old has chosen six New Zealanders, three Englishmen, two Welsh players, and one each from France, Scotland, and Ireland in his all-time greatest team.
BACK-THREE
Fullback: JPR Williams (Wales) – “Not a staggeringly original choice, I’ll admit. But to my mind the only one. If I’m going to be picking a dream XV then I want JPR at the back. No question, guarenteed starter.”
Left-wing: Jonah Lomu (New Zealand) – “Illness and injury ultimately slowed him down. But his performances at the 1995 World Cup, just as the game was turning professional, will never be forgotten. The game needed a superstar, and it got one in Lomu. He was brilliant for rugby.”
Right-wing: John Kirwan (New Zealand) – “He had an all round game; he could carry the ball through heavy traffic, he could offload, he was like an extra back-rower at times. Plus, he had natural effortless pace. He ended up scoring 35 tries for the All Blacks and was instrumental as they went through their unbeaten spell of games between 1987 and 1990.”
CENTRES
Outside-centre: Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland) – “His ability to get back on his feet after tackling to compete for the ball was extraordinary, and ensured he always had an impact on the game, whatever type of game it was. He was such a natural talent.”
Inside-centre: Philippe Sella (France) – “Sella and O’Driscoll were powerful men. They could stop a forward in his tracks. I think as a pair they would dominate any midfield and I like the thought of them together.”