Martin given England nod in reshuffle to face South Africa but Pollock starts on bench

Saracens’ new signing tasked with filling Itoje’s boots Earl and Curry preferred to Pollock in starting XV England have put their faith in Saracens’ new signing George Martin and his former Leicester clubmate Jack van Poortvliet in a reshuffled starting XV to face South Africa this weekend. There are five changes to the line-up that narrowly lost 48-46 to France in the final round of the Six Nations, with George Furbank, Manny Feyi-Waboso and Tom Curry also recalled. Martin fills the sizeable gap left by absent skipper Maro Itoje while Van Poortvliet has been picked ahead of Northampton’s Alex Mitchell and Bath’s Ben Spencer. Furbank and Feyi-Waboso replace Elliot Daly and Tom Roebuck respectively with Curry selected at flanker ahead of Guy Pepper and Henry Pollock for the inaugural round of the new Nations Championship. Continue reading...