ENGLAND HAVE RECALLED Henry Slade for their must-win Nations Championship rugby clash against Fiji in Liverpool on Saturday as coach Steve Borthwick bids to avoid a sixth straight defeat.
Slade did not feature at all during England’s woeful Six Nations, where they lost four out of their five games.
But the 33-year-old centre had a strong finish to the domestic season, leading Exeter to the Prem final.
Slade’s return means Northampton’s Tommy Freeman is deployed in his more familiar wing role following a year-long effort to convert him into an outside centre.
Guy Pepper replaces Tom Curry at openside flanker in the other change to the starting XV beaten 45-21 by world champions South Africa in their Nations Championship opener in Johannesburg last week.
Meanwhile, the uncapped trio of South Africa-born Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Noah Caluori and George Kloska could all make their Test debuts off the bench.
Elsewhere, star out-half Finn Russell returns to the Scotland team for their match against world champions South Africa in Pretoria on Saturday.
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The 33-year-old British and Irish Lion missed a first-round victory over Argentina in Córdoba last weekend due to a calf injury.
Russell replaces Tom Jordan, who is among the eight replacements for the Test at Loftus Versfeld stadium.
Coach Gregor Townsend made two other changes to his starting line-up as Scotland seek to end a nine-match losing streak against the record four-time Rugby World Cup champions.
Both are among the tight five with tighthead prop Zander Fagerson replacing Elliot Millar Mills and lock Gregor Brown promoted in place of Jonny Gray.
Scotland have lost all seven Tests against the Springboks in South Africa. It will be the first time they play in Pretoria, home of the Bulls.
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England recall Henry Slade for crunch Fiji clash in Liverpool
ENGLAND HAVE RECALLED Henry Slade for their must-win Nations Championship rugby clash against Fiji in Liverpool on Saturday as coach Steve Borthwick bids to avoid a sixth straight defeat.
Slade did not feature at all during England’s woeful Six Nations, where they lost four out of their five games.
But the 33-year-old centre had a strong finish to the domestic season, leading Exeter to the Prem final.
Slade’s return means Northampton’s Tommy Freeman is deployed in his more familiar wing role following a year-long effort to convert him into an outside centre.
Guy Pepper replaces Tom Curry at openside flanker in the other change to the starting XV beaten 45-21 by world champions South Africa in their Nations Championship opener in Johannesburg last week.
Meanwhile, the uncapped trio of South Africa-born Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Noah Caluori and George Kloska could all make their Test debuts off the bench.
Elsewhere, star out-half Finn Russell returns to the Scotland team for their match against world champions South Africa in Pretoria on Saturday.
The 33-year-old British and Irish Lion missed a first-round victory over Argentina in Córdoba last weekend due to a calf injury.
Russell replaces Tom Jordan, who is among the eight replacements for the Test at Loftus Versfeld stadium.
Coach Gregor Townsend made two other changes to his starting line-up as Scotland seek to end a nine-match losing streak against the record four-time Rugby World Cup champions.
Both are among the tight five with tighthead prop Zander Fagerson replacing Elliot Millar Mills and lock Gregor Brown promoted in place of Jonny Gray.
Scotland have lost all seven Tests against the Springboks in South Africa. It will be the first time they play in Pretoria, home of the Bulls.
England (v Fiji)
Replacements:
Scotland (v South Africa)
Replacements:
– © AFP 2026
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