England Captain Marcus Smith Leads the Way as Brave Blossoms Host Red Rose in Historic Clash
Tokyo, June 22, 2024 – In a highly anticipated Test matchup, the England national rugby union team, under the guidance of head coach Steve Borthwick, will face off against Eddie Jones’ Japan Brave Blossoms on Japanese soil. This will mark the first-ever meeting between the two sides on Japanese territory.
Fly-half Marcus Smith has been named to start for England, preferred over Fin Smith, who will come off the bench. Joining Smith in the half-backs is Alex Mitchell, who has been in impressive form throughout the season. The centres will feature the experienced pairing of Henry Slade and Ollie Lawrence, while the back three comprises full-back George Furbank, and wingers Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman.
In the forward pack, Chandler Cunningham-South makes his first start for England on the blindside, with Sam Underhill and Ben Earl completing the loose trio. The second row features George Martin and Maro Itoje, while the front row is made up of props Dan Cole and Bevan Rodd, alongside captain Jaime George.
Head coach Borthwick acknowledges the challenges posed by the conditions in Tokyo, stating:
“Conditions in Tokyo mean we’ll need to be accurate, keep our discipline, and maintain a level of intensity in our performance from the first whistle to the last. We will need to be at our very best against an opponent who will want to play fast.”
The match is scheduled to kick off at 6.50am (BST) and will be broadcast live on RugbyPass TV.
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