England name Pollock at number eight as Ojomoh and Joseph return

Henry Pollock has been selected at number eight for England’s Nations Championship match against Japan, with Max Ojomoh and Will Joseph also brought into a substantially changed starting side. BBC Sport reported that only Henry Slade, Jack van Poortvliet and captain Maro Itoje retain starting places in the same positions following Sunday’s win over Australia. The announcement gives Pollock only his second Test start.

The 21-year-old has scored eight tries in 14 England appearances despite spending much of his international career among the replacements. His latest contribution was a two-try performance against Australia after filling in on the wing. Pollock’s previous start came in February’s 42-21 defeat by Ireland. Alex Coles moves to blind-side flanker in the newly selected back row, replacing the injured Ollie Chessum, with Ben Earl also starting.

Ojomoh returns at inside centre after initially being left out of England’s 36-player squad for this month’s matches. The Bath player, 26, has not appeared for the senior national side since the victory over Argentina a year ago. His performance for England A against an Argentina XV last Friday earned him a promotion ahead of Fraser Dingwall. First-choice centre Seb Atkinson is unavailable because of a hip injury.

Joseph is named on the wing with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso injured. His only previous England appearance came in 2022, when the team was coached by Eddie Jones, now in charge of Japan. Cadan Murley also comes into the back three, while Tommy Freeman is omitted. Freddie Steward starts at full-back, with Slade alongside Ojomoh in midfield and Van Poortvliet continuing at scrum-half.

George Ford takes the fly-half position, while Fin Smith is rotated out of the matchday squad after recovering from a calf injury to play the full match against Australia. Marcus Smith is among the replacements. There is also a complete change to the starting front row, with Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Asher Opoku-Fordjour selected. George Martin partners Itoje in the second row.

Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland has been named on the bench and could make his England debut. The replacements also include Greg Fisilau, Arthur Clark and Emmanuel Iyogun, who each have one cap. Theo Dan, Joe Heyes and Tom Curry complete the bench alongside Marcus Smith, leaving England with several relatively inexperienced options behind the starting side.