Immanuel Feyi-Waboso returns as George Ford and Jamie George lead England XV against France
Return: England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be hoping to prove that he is still worthy of a potential Lions spot this summer (Getty Images)
George Ford and Jamie George will lead an England XV against France this weekend as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso returns from injury.
The experienced duo have been named by head coach Steve Borthwick as co-captains for the game at Allianz Stadium Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.
Advertisement
Ford is currently on 99 international appearances for England but won't reach his century against Les Bleus as it is classed as a non-cap match, which serves as a warm-up for the two-Test tour to Argentina in July and a one-off clash against the USA in Washington.
Borthwick - who will name his touring squad on Monday (June 23) - is unable to call upon some 13 players who have been selected for British and Irish Lions duty this summer, including influential captain Maro Itoje.
Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ollie Chessum, Tom Curry, Henry Pollock, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, Tommy Freeman, Marcus Smith and Elliot Daly were also called up for the Lions, while Jack van Poortvliet has been training with Andy Farrell's side in the build-up to their 1888 Cup tie with Argentina in Dublin on Friday night as specialist scrum-half cover following an injury to Jamison Gibson-Park.
Hooker George and tighthead prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour were also drafted in for Lions training last week, with the former returning to face France.
Advertisement
Ben Curry, George Furbank, Fraser Dingwall and Harry Randall are all continuing their respective injury rehabilitations with England, with the likes of Ollie Lawrence and George Martin still sidelined.
The most standout England selection to face France 'A' is that of Feyi-Waboso, who will be hoping to prove that he can still be an option for the Lions this summer after recovering from a shoulder injury that ruled him out of initial contention and has prevented him from playing since December, requiring surgery.
Exeter team-mate Henry Slade marshals the backline from outside centre, partnered in midfield by Gloucester's Seb Atkinson, who is one of three uncapped players in the starting XV, along with Sale full-back Joe Carpenter and Bath's influential Premiership-winning flanker Guy Pepper.
Tom Roebuck lines up on the opposite flank to Feyi-Waboso, while Ford is partnered at half-back by Bath's Ben Spencer.
Advertisement
Fin Baxter and Joe Heyes are the props, with Alex Coles and Nick Isiekwe in the second row. Pepper is joined in the back row by Bath team-mate Ted Hill and Tom Willis.
There are two more uncapped players on the bench in flanker Jack Kenningham and versatile back Oscar Beard, who are joined by fellow Harlequins stars Chandler Cunningham-South and Alex Dombrant, plus Theo Dan, Bevan Rodd, Trevor Davison and Raffi Quirke.
'We're excited to be playing at Allianz Stadium and to test ourselves against a strong French side,' said Borthwick.
'I'm really looking forward to seeing this young team get out there and show what they're capable of.
'It's a great opportunity to take another step forward ahead of the summer Tour to Argentina and the US.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Maresca defends Jackson after striker's red card against Flamengo
Enzo Maresca insists Nicolas Jackson's Chelsea future is not under threat because of his disciplinary issues. Chelsea lost 3-1 to Flamengo in their second Club World Cup group game after a frantic few minutes in the second half which involved two Flamengo goals and Jackson being sent off for a late tackle. Jackson missed the end of the Premier League season after being sent off against Newcastle, but Maresca says he is unsure that the decision to send him off against Flamengo was the correct one. Advertisement 'It happened against Newcastle and today,' he said. 'I am not 100% sure it's a red card compared to the Newcastle one. It's a little bit of a bad moment for Nico. 'Six minutes changed the game. In the second half, we started better compared to the first half. But we conceded two goals in two minutes and then the red card. It changed the dynamic. They deserved to win.' The Chelsea boss also accepted that his side deserved to lose the game. 'They deserved to win,' he continued. 'We tried to do something different in the game, for next season and the future. Now we have one more game, we will try to win.' Advertisement Despite Jackson's recent disciplinary issues, Maresca says his opinion of the striker has not changed and backed him to improve. 'The red card has nothing to do with Nico's future… Nico knows in both games [Flamengo and Newcastle] it was not good for the team,' he said. 'Nico apologised. At Newcastle, we were just 1-0 down and it was in the first half. Today, we were 2-1 down but with half-an-hour left. There was time to play, but with one man down it became all the more difficult.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Key Derby County man announces departure with 'time is right' message
Derby County's head of fitness and performance has announced that he has left his role at the club ahead of the 2025/2026 season. Dave Carolan rejoined the Rams last year after previously working for the club during the Gary Rowett era at Pride Park, but has now departed Pride Park and spoke of his exit in a statement on social media. Advertisement He explained: "So long, & Thank you Derby County Football Club. Almost a year ago I was invited, one again, to join Derby and to Lead the Performance Department. READ MORE: Paul Warne finally lands his Derby County target as huge transfer confirmed READ MORE: Every player linked with Derby County as Rams plot first summer transfers "My previous tenure at the club with Gary Rowett meant I knew what a great place DCFC was; so head and heart were aligned. Clients and partners I had were completely understanding (which I was so thankful for)! Family were fully on-board so it was all systems go! Advertisement "With pre-season already underway I took on the challenge with the energy and enthusiasm which are the core of how I have conducted my career to date! Thus, aided by some excellent staff who were already in place, a group of players who relished the task in hand, and integrating into a new coaching/performance/medical staff (from my perspective) we set about our work. "For any promoted side the challenges are difficult on multiple fronts, but in the first year there is one main aim - finish as high up the table as possible. And we got after it! We knew we had to give it our all and indeed, find more where we could. "Not everything went smoothly, we had some difficult periods, yet we had many great outcomes. We pushed hard to get everything we could out of everyone who could contribute - players, chefs, operations, coach drivers, etc - all had to play their part! And they did... "Ultimately, we reached our goal. 'The Rams are staying up' was the cry from the hoardes of passionate Rams Fans in the stands, as everyone left everything out there on the pitch! Advertisement "And with the mission accomplished, and having answered that urgent call 11 months ago, I now feel it is the right time to return to those projects I put on the backburner in early July 2024... "Its time to continue with those new, exciting ventures (more on that to come later!) and build on my career experiences to date... and also help others who are perhaps earlier in theirs! " I wish everyone at the club well for the future, continued success on the pitch and thank everyone at Pride Park and Moor Farm for their support! From top to bottom the club is filled with so many excellent people who are striving everyday to be the best they - & the club - can be."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Everton have just opened talks on their most significant deal of the summer
Agreeing a new deal with Jarrad Branthwaite would be one of the most significant acts of Everton's summer. The club faces a rebuilding project the scale of which has rarely been seen in the Premier League era. Advertisement As it stands, just 14 senior players will be under contract come July 1 ahead of a landmark first season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Yet for all the incomings that are required, protecting a player who is already at Finch Farm would be a real statement of intent. READ MORE: Everton open Jarrad Branthwaite talks amid summer transfer interest READ MORE: Everton have ambitious plan as The Friedkin Group make intentions clear Among the many items on the Blues' 'to-do' list, Everton entered the summer braced for interest in Branthwaite . His breakthrough campaign in 2023/24 alerted a host of clubs to his potential and led to two speculative bids from Manchester United. Advertisement Twelve months ago, as INEOS appeared keen to make the defender the first piece of their own regeneration project, it was possible to believe they might make good on their hopes of turning the club around. Instead, they submitted two spurious bids that fell well short of Everton's valuation of Branthwaite and moved on, descending into chaos. When they appeared at Goodison Park in the spring their squad had centre backs that had cost them more than £200m - yet it was the £1m signing from Carlisle who stood out on that pitch as a sorry opponent laboured before a late comeback. This season has been tougher for Branthwaite as injury dogged his opening months and the upheaval at Everton threatened to push the club into a fourth consecutive relegation fight. Advertisement Yet he grew into the campaign and, under David Moyes, became part of a defensive unit that was among the most effective in the top flight. That unit, particularly the axis of Branthwaite, James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford, is what Moyes wants to build his new squad around . Amid uncertainty almost everywhere else on the pitch, those three provide stability and genuine, proven quality - something the Blues boss hopes to replicate elsewhere on the pitch. If Everton can protect their defensive base then creating a side that can make genuine progress next season is a reality. Central to that is Branthwaite, who has the potential to be a talismanic figure for years to come but is again being courted by Champions League clubs. Advertisement He is understood to be content on Merseyside and appreciative of the opportunities the club have provided him thus far, though Thomas Tuchel's approach to his England squad - favouring those who are playing in Europe - is problematic as he attempts to fight his way into the World Cup squad next summer. Everton cannot enter new talks ignorant of his potential or his ambition, and if they are to ensure he is not tempted by serious bids from elsewhere then any offer will have to reflect his status as being pivotal to the club's plans.
