Courtney Lawes to captain England on 100th cap as Jonny May gets surprise call
Courtney Lawes will win his 100th cap when he captains England in their final warm-up match before the Rugby World Cup against Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday.
With Owen Farrell serving a four-match ban for a dangerous tackle, Lawes is retained as skipper to become the fifth England player to amass a century of Test appearances, having made his debut in 2009.
George Ford continues as chief conductor in a new-look half-back combination that includes Alex Mitchell, while Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence are paired together for the first time in a powerful midfield alliance.
Head coach Steve Borthwick may have given a hint of his thinking at No8 following Billy Vunipola’s three-game suspension for a high hit by picking Ben Earl in the position.
In an unexpected development, Jonny May has been picked on the left wing despite not being selected in England’s World Cup squad, hinting at potential injury problems in the back three.
“We couldn’t be prouder of Courtney on achieving his incredible milestone after 14 years of excellent performances for his country,” said Borthwick.
“It has been a privilege to watch his journey and witness him develop into a truly outstanding rugby player.
“Not only is Courtney an exceptional talent and an excellent professional, he is also a brilliant role model for young players every time he steps onto the field.”
England are in desperate need of a pre-World Cup boost, having lost five of eight matches this year, including last weekend in Ireland.
Borthwick added: “Fiji have proven themselves to be a strong opposition and we look forward to what we expect to be an exciting and challenging game.
“Rest assured that we will be looking to convert the opportunities we have recently been creating week-on-week into points on the scoreboard.”
Additional reporting by PA