George Furbank has been ruled out of the remainder of the July tour after undergoing emergency surgery for appendicitis.
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The Northampton Saints star had been due to start against South Africa before being withdrawn from the team following the captain’s run.
England boss Steve Borthwick confirmed Furbank was taken to hospital on Friday evening after suffering abdominal pain and underwent surgery the following morning.
“He went into hospital on Friday evening with abdominal pain, he had surgery this morning on his appendix and he is still in hospital recovering,” said Borthwick.
“I spoke with him earlier, he is gutted and he will miss the next couple of weeks. He will be delayed in South Africa to fly back at a later date.”
The setback means Furbank will play no further part in England’s July campaign, having been set to make his first Test start since November 2024 against the Springboks.
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“Found wanting” – Five England players who flopped against the Springboks
Here are five England players who flopped at Ellis Park — and what Borthwick should do next.
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1. Tommy Freeman
Freeman was not helped by being deployed away from his usual position, where he has previously excelled for Northampton Saints and England.
The 25-year-old has all the physical attributes to be effective on the wing but continues to look less comfortable and less polished when used at outside centre.
He began poorly, conceding a penalty for not releasing inside the opening minute, and his overall display was uneven.
Freeman ended the match with a yellow card for shoulder-to-head contact with under ten minutes remaining, effectively ending England’s slim hopes of a comeback.
RugbyPass gave him a 4/10, writing: “Penalised moments into the match to give the Boks their platform to score their opening try, as England appeared totally shell-shocked.
“Linked nicely with Seb Atkinson in the midfield, and his ability to distribute following half breaks was often a source of attacking promise for England. His strong carry off a lineout gave England the momentum they needed for their second try.
“Shifted to the wing for the final 30 minutes, and while he looked more comfortable there, he was penalised for a high tackle on Damian Willemse, for which he was yellow carded.”
The Telegraph handed him the same rating, writing: “Costly yellow card for high tackle on Willemse. I will die on the hill that his considerable talents are wasted at centre.”
What Borthwick should do: Move him back to the wing.
