England team vs Japan: Tom Curry returns for autumn finale after latest concussion

Under-pressure caput manager Steve Borthwick has made 2 changes to his starting lineup for Sunday’s last Autumn Nations Series Test astatine Twickenham arsenic helium bids to extremity a woeful five-match losing tally - their worst since 2018 that includes 3 consecutive location losses for the archetypal clip since 2006 - that has led to accrued scrutiny connected his position.

Having afloat recovered from hep surgery, the big-hitting Curry started for England for the archetypal clip since past year’s World Cup semi-final tally successful their autumn opener against the All Blacks, having missed the Six Nations and made 3 consecutive substitute appearances connected the summertime circuit to Japan and New Zealand.

He impressed and retained his starting berth against Australia, lone to endure a concussion portion trying to tackle Wallabies back-rower Rob Valetini.

That was combative flanker Curry’s 5th concussion successful the past 2 years and came aft helium had besides been concussed playing for Sale astatine the commencement of their Premiership run successful September.

England adjunct manager Andrew Strawbridge insisted this week that Curry was “100 per cent fit, steadfast and acceptable to go” having “been done each protocol that exists”, but admitted that they were moving to amended his tackle method successful a bid to lessen the hazard of further caput injuries moving forward.

The 26-year-old has been selected astatine blindside flanker arsenic England brace for Eddie Jones’ archetypal instrumentality to Twickenham since being sacked pursuing 7 years successful complaint successful December 2022, joining Sam Underhill and Ben Earl successful the backmost enactment arsenic Chandler Cunningham-South drops to the bench.

Furbank besides retakes his starting berth astatine full-back, having held down the No15 garment successful caller months earlier Freddie Steward’s prowess nether the precocious shot was preferred against South Africa past weekend.

Steward is omitted from the matchday squad wholly against Japan, with Fin Smith replacing George Ford arsenic fly-half screen for the in-form Marcus Smith.

20-year-old Sale prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour is besides poised to marque his England Test debut disconnected the seat connected Sunday, with seasoned Dan Cole dropping out.

Scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet and helping Ollie Sleightholme support their starting berths aft some coming successful against the Springboks, with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso inactive sidelined with his ain concussion suffered against Australia.

Starting XV: Furbank; Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Sleightholme; M Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George (c), Stuart; Itoje, Martin; T Curry, Underhill, Earl

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Baxter, Opoku-Fordjour, Isiekwe, Cunningham-South, Randall, F Smith, Roebuck