England vs South Africa team news: Eddie Jones names unchanged start line-up to face Springboks

England head coach makes one change to the match-day squad as Ben Spencer replaces the injured Willi Heinz on the replacements’ bench

Eddie Jones has named an unchanged England line-up for the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa Rugby, with Ben Spencer’s addition to the replacements’ bench the only new addition to the matchday squad.

In what will be Jones’s 50th match in charge of England, the head coach has stuck with the same team that defeated New Zealand in the semi-finals last weekend, meaning that George Ford and Owen Farrell continue at fly-half and inside centre respectively.

An unchanged pack sees Courtney Lawes retain his place in the second row alongside Maro Itoje, while the back line features wing Jonny May, who like Farrell has overcome a dead leg to retain his place in the side. Perhaps most importantly for England, tighthead prop Kyle Sinckler is not only fit enough to feature but has been trusted to start the match, having overcome a sore calf muscle in the week.

Mako Vunipola and Jamie George join Sinckler in the front row with Itoje and Lawes making up the tight-five, and Tom Curry, Sam Underhill and Billy Vunipola continue in a back row that has proven to be one of England’s key weapons so far this tournament.

Ben Youngs partners Ford in the half-backs, with Farrell and Tuilagi continuing their union in the centres, and May remains on the left wing with Anthony Watson on the right and Elliot Daly at full-back.

The one change among the replacements’ bench sees Spencer added to the matchday squad immediately having been called up to the squad last Sunday following the hamstring injury that has ruled scrum-half Willie Heinz out of the final.

He will be joined on the bench by forwards Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Marler, Dan Cole, George Kruis and Mark Wilson, while Henry Slade and Jonathan Joseph make up the backs cover.

The eight unlucky players who will not feature in the squad unless there are any setbacks in the next 48 hours include Jack Nowell, who despite recovering from a hamstring injury has not made the squad, meaning he has played just 12 minutes of the World Cup. He’s joined by Ellis Genge, Jack Singleton, Joe Launchbury, Lewis Ludlam, Piers Francis, Joe Cokanasiga and Ruaridh McConnochie in not being included in the match-day squad.

“It has been a good week, the players have been together a while now so it’s less about the volume of training this week, it’s more about sharpening the sword,” said Jones.

“South Africa are a difficult opponent and we are going to have to fight really hard to win. We know the physical part of the game is going to be important and the players will go into this game well prepared knowing how we want to play. We will go and play with no fear.

Kyle Sinckler has recovered from an ankle injury to start (AFP via Getty) (AFP via Getty Images)

“South Africa will probably play a similar type of game they have played all tournament so we need be good in the arm wrestle and when we have the opportunities to break the game up, we are then confident and composed enough to take them.”

South Africa have also made one change to their squad, with head coach Rassie Erasmus recalling fit-again wing Cheslin Kolbe in place of S’bu Nkosi, who drops out of the squad completely.

Teams

England: Elliot Daly; Anthony Watson, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell, Jonny May; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler; Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Billy Vunipola.

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Marler, Dan Cole, George Kruis, Mark Wilson, Ben Spencer, Henry Slade, Jonathan Joseph.

South Africa: Willie le Roux; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk; Tendai Mtawarira, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager; Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermuelen.

Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitschoff, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Franco Mostert, Francois Louw, Herschel Jantjies, Frans Steyn.