“Gutted” England star stood down with immediate effect

Saturday, 04 July 2026 at 21:38

bySteven Smith

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The Northampton Saints star had been due to start against South Africa before being withdrawn from the team following the captain’s run.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.

2. Seb Atkinson

In only his fifth Test appearance, Atkinson produced a steady performance with some positive carries and reliable handling.

He also executed a well-judged kick that put South Africa under pressure and contributed solidly in defence, offering a generally composed showing in difficult circumstances.

Calling him a flop may seem harsh, but his club form has been inconsistent and he did not do enough to firmly establish himself at Test level.

The Telegraph gave him 5/10, writing: “True to his word in taking a pasting for the team with his lovely tip passes. Will regret kicking the ball away with a potential overlap.”

RugbyPass was slightly kinder, awarding him a six: “Had the thankless task of carrying into the guts of an insatiable Bok defence, but stood up to the challenge. His distribution before contact was slick as well.”

What Borthwick should do: Give him a sustained run of games before making a final judgement.

3. Cadan Murley

Murley has been playing in a struggling Harlequins side this season but was still selected to face the world’s top-ranked team, raising questions given the other wing options available.

He was beaten too easily by Cheslin Kolbe for South Africa’s second try and also missed a tackle on Grant Williams.

The winger was reasonably secure in the air and made a strong carry close to the try line, but failed to capitalise on a Marcus Smith kick through before being replaced after 54 minutes.

RUCK gave him a 5/10, but The Telegraph was even more brutal with a four.

They wrote: “Willing but ultimately found wanting by Kolbe who nearly broke his ankles with a wicked step. Caluori must start against Fiji.”

What Borthwick should do: Drop him in favour of other options.

4. Guy Pepper

The replacement flanker was shown a yellow card with eight minutes remaining, leaving England down to 13 men.

Beyond that moment, Pepper had limited influence on the contest after coming off the bench.

Although the card arrived late, it contributed to an increasingly heavy-looking scoreline and reflected the discipline issues that once again hurt England.

What Borthwick should do: Continue to invest in him as a young player with significant potential.

5. Henry Pollock

Henry Pollock came off the bench amid significant hype but had only around 20 minutes to influence the match.

The 21-year-old struggled to impose himself and, after a week in which he had been branded “public enemy number one” in South Africa, it felt as though the occasion may have got to him.

In hindsight, starting Pollock may have given him a better platform to make an impact rather than asking him to change the game with England already under severe pressure.