Henry Pollock will make his first start for England since the Six Nations defeat by Ireland when he wears the No 8 shirt against Japan on Saturday.

Pollock’s role with England has been limited to appearances off the bench, including starring with two tries as wing cover in the victory over Australia last Sunday. 

But Steve Borthwick, the England head coach, has been forced into changes to his starting XV this weekend. One of these alterations means Pollock, 21, will make just his second Test start.

Behind the scrum, Will Joseph will earn his first Test cap since the 2022 tour of Australia, with the Gloucester utility back poised to start on the wing in place of the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who is out of the entire autumn with an ankle issue. Joseph has switched between numbers 13 and 14 both last season and this with the Cherry and Whites.

Max Ojomoh, who impressed in England A’s victory over their Argentinian counterparts last Friday, will start at inside centre for the first time since the win over the Pumas at the Allianz Stadium last November, when the Bath No 12 was named man of the match. Seb Atkinson, who started at centre inside Henry Slade in the victory last Sunday, has been ruled out of the Japan match with hip bruising but England are hopeful that Joseph’s club mate will be fit to face New Zealand a week on Saturday.

Fraser Dingwall and Joe Marchant are set to miss out on the starting XV this weekend, although the latter’s versatility means he could be deployed from the bench.

Borthwick said on Sunday night that Ben Curry would be “unlikely” to face Japan at the Allianz Stadium this weekend, and Ollie Chessum has been ruled out of this weekend with a shoulder niggle. Pollock, therefore, comes into the back row and, at openside, Greg Fisilau is in contention for a first Test start. Borthwick, however, might opt to slide Ben Earl, so industrious at No 8 in the victory over the Wallabies, to the flank. 

Alex Coles is expected to start at blindside after scrummaging in that position on England’s ball last weekend, with George Martin joining captain Maro Itoje in the second row. The front row is likely to remain unchanged.

Jack van Poortvliet and Fin Smith are expected to reprise their roles at half-back, but Archie McParland, the highly rated Northampton scrum-half, could muscle his way onto the bench in place of Ben Spencer, although the Saint’s training time has been limited. 

At full-back, with George Furbank nursing a groin strain, the choice is between Marcus Smith and Freddie Steward, and it is understood that the former is marginally winning the race for a starting berth. Cadan Murley is under consideration for the left wing, which could see Tommy Freeman either rested or given the No 23 jersey, should Marcus Smith start at full-back. The Saracens duo of Noah Caluori and Tobias Elliott are also in Borthwick’s squad.

England’s back-row depth has been tested. Chessum’s shoulder injury is short term and Ben Curry has been rested but all of Tom Curry (hip), Guy Pepper and Chandler Cunningham-South (both ankle) will miss the whole of the November campaign. 

That could pave the way for a back-row debutant off the bench, with both Max Hicks, of Newcastle, and Jack Kenningham, of Harlequins, on the bench. Northampton’s Tom Pearson, who won his sole cap in the 2023 World Cup warm-up defeat by Wales, is the other flanker in the squad.