England's Sam Underhill in action against the All Blacks, 2024. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
England's Tom Roebuck returns on the wing, George Ford is back at first-five and Sam Underhill is in on the flank as coach Steve Borthwick made seven changes for this weekend's Autumn International against New Zealand.
Roebuck missed last week's win over Fiji having starred in the opening victory over Australia and his aerial ability will be a huge boon for England in attack and defence.
Freddie Steward also missed Fiji with a finger injury but comes in at fullback, with Marcus Smith dropping to the bench, where he will also cover flyhalf with Ford the starting 10 and Fin Smith left out.
With Tommy Freeman injured, Ollie Lawrence and Fraser Dingwall continue in the centres.
Maro Itoje, who had a rare bench appearance last week, returns to captain the team alongside Alex Coles in the second row, with Ollie Chessum out injured.
Tough-tackling Underhill comes in at openside flanker as Ben Earl, man of the match in England's last two games, moves back to Number Eight.
With the bench having had a huge impact in their last two games, Borthwick has again loaded it in a 6-2 split, with Tom Curry, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Chandler Cunningham-South and Henry Pollock poised to inject late energy.
"I'm pleased with the progress we are making," Borthwick said after naming the team on Tuesday.
"Without doubt, New Zealand are one of the best teams in the world and facing them is always a special challenge."
The teams met three times last year, and though the All Blacks won all of them, the total points differential was 10 and England had late chances to win all three not least last November when Ford hit a post with a late penalty and skewed a drop goal wide in a 24-22 Twickenham defeat.
With a draw in 2022, it means that England have won only two of the teams' last 21 meetings, the most recent being the 2019 World Cup semi-final in Japan. New Zealand, who have beaten Ireland and Scotland in the first two games of their Grand Slam tour, will name their team on Thursday.
England team to face New Zealand
15-Freddie Steward, 14-Tom Roebuck, 13-Ollie Lawrence, 12-Fraser Dingwall, 11-Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 10-George Ford, 9-Alex Mitchell, 8-Ben Earl, 7-Sam Underhill, 6-Guy Pepper, 5-Alex Coles, 4-Maro Itoje, 3-Joe Heyes, 2-Jamie George, 1-Fin Baxter
Replacements: 16-Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17-Ellis Genge, 18-Will Stuart, 19-Chandler Cunningham-South, 20-Tom Curry, 21-Henry Pollock, 22-Ben Spencer, 23-Marcus Smith.
-Reuters
