Rugby World Cup: George Ford, Owen Farrell start for England vs Samoa | Marcus Smith benched
George Ford starts at fly-half for England against Samoa, while Owen Farrell captains from the middle; England secured first place in Group D after winning the first three matches
By Michael Cantillon
Last updated: 23/05/10 4:30 PM
Owen Farrell and George Ford have both been named to start for England in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup Pool D match against Samoa, with skipper Farrell moving into midfield.
The selection marks the first time head coach Steve Borthwick has opted to deploy Ford and Farrell in a dual 10-12 position, with Marcus Smith dropping to the bench following the return of Freddie Steward at wing-back.
England are already assured of first place and passage to the quarter-finals after winning their first three group matches.
Should Fiji pick up at least a point in their final group match against Portugal, they will be England’s last eight opponents on October 15.
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Joe Marchant, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Owen Farrell (c), 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Ollie Chessum, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Tom Curry, 8 Ben Earl.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 George Martin, 20 Billy Vunipola, 21 Danny Care, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Ollie Lawrence.
More to follow…
This is a current news story that is being updated and more details will be published soon. Refresh this page for the latest updates.
Sky Sports brings you live updates as they happen. Get the latest sports news, analysis, exclusive interviews, recaps and highlights.
Sky Sports is your trusted source for the latest sports news and live updates. Watch live coverage of your favorite sports: football, F1, boxing, cricket, golf, tennis, rugby league, rugby union, NFL, darts, netball and get the latest transfer news, results, scores and more.
Visit skysports.com or the Sky Sports app for full details breaking sports news headlines. You can receive push notifications from the Sky Sports app for the latest news of your favorite sports and you can also follow @SkySportsNews on Twitter to get the latest updates.
require.config({“shim”:{“facebook-sdk”:{“exports”:”FB”}},”baseUrl”:”https://www.skysports.com/”,”paths”:{“skysports_com”:”static/skysports_com-94b1560149a71″,”skysports_digrev”:”static/skysports_digrev-15f587cc83a11″,”skysports_legacy”:”static/skysports_legacy-1fc4d92072fe2″,”skysports_ipad_components”:”static/skysports_ipad_components-9347556046b82″,”skysports_sap”:”core/js/../static/js/skysports_sap”,”requireLib”:”static/require-2.1.0-15f03d8ff7a4b”,”class”:”static/class-55bbf080a62c3″,”countdown”:”static/countdown-b387bb40118ae”,”energize”:”static/energize-bac53226fb-93aea85fe6a04″,”hammer”:”static/hammer-a592776ebb-f14662ea8bb34″,”marker-clusterer”:”static/marker-clusterer-3911fd8c83740″,”moment”:”static/moment-1.7.2-33075cfd4ad32″,”reqwest”:”static/reqwest-a845dfd832-dea6ebed2de7d”,”scroll-pane”:”static/ftscroller-280c6900bc-ed5e878ea6190″,”underscore”:”static/lodash.custom-d1cf24f7f366e”,”adaptive-content”:”static/adaptive-content-1fc383fae518a”,”article-widget-betting”:”static/article-widget-betting-7a9641160b027″,”app-bridge”:”static/app-bridge-30b975666386a”,”article-advert”:”static/article-advert-fa40febcc7b0f”,”article-outbrain”:”static/article-outbrain-bba64c5034e96″,”autocomplete”:”static/autocomplete-62886d6993248″,”autocomplete-lite”:”static/autocomplete-lite-76d43ae628a4e”,”accordian”:”static/accordian-87ec71ccbfdd1″,”betting-lines”:”static/betting-lines-31e5cdbecf2bc”,”bskyb-omniture”:”static/bskyb-omniture-95434173971a2″,”bskyb-omniture-1-2″:”static/bskyb-omniture-1.2-ef8627d226d42″,”calendar-url-builder”:”static/calendar-url-builder-863fca999d8c8″,”carousel”:”static/carousel-cfdab6400e999″,”carousel-lite”:”static/carousel-lite-520eccc372b67″,”close-me”:”static/close-me-1dd5bf41462eb”,”content-stream”:”static/content-stream-4ceef3bbd096b”,”content-swap”:”static/content-swap-bdbe29a70d8f9″,”countdown-widget”:”static/countdown-widget-459a93f477481″,”comments-reply”:”static/comments-reply-81d5853bdd03b”,”cookie”:”static/cookie-072824b3a5047″,”android-notice”:”static/android-notice-58d95f174579a”,”create-audio”:”static/create-audio-f77436036a203″,”dataset”:”static/dataset-487d6875fe94d”,”datepicker”:”static/datepicker-b112a28bd151b”,”datepicker2″:”static/datepicker2-d10188465db39″,”dom”:”static/dom-f554c2354ab77″,”dropdown”:”static/dropdown-de4729ed67884″,”dropdown-select”:”static/dropdown-select-bbaa962ff8888″,”element-listener”:”static/element-listener-39391d1341a3c”,”environment”:”static/environment-d24a016d1c736″,”events”:”static/events-e6bde13ac56dc”,”facebook-sdk”:”//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all”,”form”:”static/form-269f9f014d35a”,”form-chart”:”static/form-chart-8e3b2b92c7e77″,”form-validation”:”static/form-validation-76d631ee9c0fb”,”html-poller”:”static/html-poller-db12e18d06d04″,”implicit-personalisation-display”:”static/implicit-personalisation-display-2bc93246729e4″,”implicit-personalisation-storage”:”static/implicit-personalisation-storage-a4eb341b47077″,”implicit-personalisation-removal”:”static/implicit-personalisation-removal-7556598e29ff5″,”inverted-listener”:”static/inverted-listener-07a7ace73331d”,”iscroll-lite”:”static/iscroll-lite-bf22458ad30dc”,”keyboard-listener”:”static/keyboard-listener-f6b30a391df5b”,”keyboard-view”:”static/keyboard-view-5a68be0e6dc00″,”lazy-images”:”static/lazy-images-f5238f2864a52″,”live-article”:”static/live-article-95ba706f060b3″,”live-cricket”:”static/live-cricket-4d6fa4651f344″,”live-sport”:”static/live-sport-db2b39a357d02″,”live-update”:”static/live-update-945d95543ad61″,”live-refresh”:”static/live-refresh-5ebefb5206c82″,”live-refresh-darts-table-controller”:”static/live-refresh-darts-table-controller-d6c7bb8af0efe”,”live-refresh-darts-table-view”:”static/live-refresh-darts-table-view-5c4f5e87a3cb2″,”live-refresh-football-controller”:”static/live-refresh-football-controller-461aca93a03fe”,”live-refresh-football-view”:”static/live-refresh-football-view-e722175c6f5eb”,”live-refresh-fixture-update-controller”:”static/live-refresh-fixture-update-controller-1234617fddd04″,”live-refresh-fixture-update-view”:”static/live-refresh-fixture-update-view-aae190ead42d7″,”live-refresh-live-golf-leaderboard-controller”:”static/live-refresh-live-golf-leaderboard-controller-c78264eefa25c”,”live-refresh-golf-matchplay-controller”:”static/live-refresh-golf-matchplay-controller-141ff1ce16821″,”live-refresh-golf-matchplay-view”:”static/live-refresh-golf-matchplay-view-562c7eea1e08b”,”live-refresh-match-header-controller”:”static/live-refresh-match-header-controller-db2b9bbacac74″,”live-refresh-match-header-football-view”:”static/live-refresh-match-header-football-view-f9ce5b3e5bde3″,”live-refresh-match-header-rugby-league-view”:”static/live-refresh-match-header-rugby-league-view-34aa9cc8d67be”,”live-refresh-match-header-rugby-union-view”:”static/live-refresh-match-header-rugby-union-view-a6b7dda93027f”,”live-refresh-match-stats-controller”:”static/live-refresh-match-stats-controller-db8736f4b3e01″,”live-refresh-match-stats-view”:”static/live-refresh-match-stats-view-62f02d64e4cd2″,”live-refresh-gp-standings-controller”:”static/live-refresh-gp-standings-controller-aa40463310354″,”live-refresh-gp-standings-view”:”static/live-refresh-gp-standings-view-b820cc96d1d26″,”live-refresh-tennis-controller”:”static/live-refresh-tennis-controller-5681743439cec”,”live-refresh-tennis-view”:”static/live-refresh-tennis-view-28ddbf0727027″,”live-refresh-news-list-controller”:”static/live-refresh-news-list-controller-ee45762f7dbe7″,”live-refresh-news-list-view”:”static/live-refresh-news-list-view-9c47d574e49d4″,”live-refresh-livefyre-pinned-controller”:”static/live-refresh-livefyre-pinned-controller-44287b34c8506″,”live-refresh-livefyre-pinned-view”:”static/live-refresh-livefyre-pinned-view-a78229a5d01c4″,”live-refresh-live-table-controller”:”static/live-refresh-live-table-controller-053e53c72d2a5″,”live-refresh-live-table-view”:”static/live-refresh-live-table-view-acc034f23d117″,”live-refresh-live-table-static-view”:”static/live-refresh-live-table-static-view-bbff46626848e”,”live-refresh-masters-live-panel-controller”:”static/live-refresh-masters-live-panel-controller-b237958f07549″,”live-refresh-matchplay-table-controller”:”static/live-refresh-matchplay-table-controller-c8d653e8ec9e1″,”live-refresh-matchplay-table-view”:”static/live-refresh-matchplay-table-view-aafd4fb26b14f”,”live-refresh-ryder-cup-controller”:”static/live-refresh-ryder-cup-controller-737295aac3b2e”,”live-refresh-ryder-cup-view”:”static/live-refresh-ryder-cup-view-8975b104d8f84″,”live-refresh-status-lookup”:”static/live-refresh-status-lookup-58cee7af21a4a”,”live-refresh-switch”:”static/live-refresh-switch-122a55d025f32″,”live-refresh-team-events-controller”:”static/live-refresh-team-events-controller-4cb3d870d779b”,”live-refresh-team-events-view”:”static/live-refresh-team-events-view-705c641b015af”,”live-text”:”static/live-text-bbd7665a86991″,”live-refresh-swingometer-controller”:”static/live-refresh-swingometer-controller-b7ade1b72e79a”,”live-refresh-swingometer-view”:”static/live-refresh-swingometer-view-425bcd02cb919″,”livefyre-auth”:”static/livefyre-auth-d30ce39d9f031″,”livefyre-social”:”static/livefyre-social-2ef6165825d8a”,”load-into”:”static/load-into-6af455f20f3bd”,”load-more”:”static/load-more-765d8e57df5c0″,”load-more2″:”static/load-more-05a9bb0171a4e”,”match-head-switch”:”static/match-head-switch-b85e40ff913e7″,”load-more-inline”:”static/load-more-inline-6ee576a87aef2″,”load-more-once”:”static/load-more-once-b9144ab829181″,”map”:”static/map-94fcb75a28607″,”media-query”:”static/media-query-0296e4082a758″,”now-tv”:”static/now-tv-8700a2f7d2f1e”,”most-popular”:”static/most-popular-c1147764fe234″,”observable”:”static/observable-6a091c15b9a4a”,”open-top”:”static/open-top-3eff6bd9d5565″,”overlay”:”static/overlay-b444bdc049b12″,”overlay-widget”:”static/overlay-widget-56d2dc14d6d21″,”page-nav”:”static/page-nav-479fc6b85357e”,”parse-date”:”static/parse-date-6463ce015eee7″,”page-filters”:”static/page-filters-5f38de0bf6eeb”,”persistent-autocomplete”:”static/persistent-autocomplete-8459865f00a4f”,”polaris-glint”:”static/polaris-glint-90f846e5378ec”,”pikaday”:”static/pikaday-ce6be92da6c09″,”pl-clip-promo”:”core/js/modules/core2/pl-clip-promo”,”poller”:”static/poller-b0ddbff69a6a9″,”polls”:”static/polls-2ef656ad8404e”,”poll-ig”:”static/poll-ig-e17180cbcc564″,”media-playlist”:”static/media-playlist-ebc8d2abe3e18″,”postpone-load”:”static/postpone-load-2ae208049e0f1″,”postpone-load2″:”static/postpone-load2-6ad484e51343f”,”postscribe”:”static/postscribe-3737e3c2f9-f3bc808a8b738″,”pub-sub”:”static/pub-sub-9323318c11e08″,”roadblock”:”static/roadblock-edae35c62e3c7″,”update-content”:”static/update-content-b6fc0cfd94862″,”script”:”static/script-27238830c957e”,”scroll-to”:”static/scroll-to-97ec63ad7135c”,”section-nav”:”static/section-nav-3aff450804b4f”,”selectable”:”static/selectable-f199bca8d8e16″,”selectable-list-view”:”static/selectable-list-view-3330035b870a5″,”share-button”:”static/share-button-606792a8e7289″,”site-layout-primary”:”static/site-layout-primary-d66ac28011c25″,”site-nav-desktop”:”static/site-nav-desktop-9b1b26877d782″,”sky-go”:”static/sky-go-44fd25b3a1748″,”skyid-login”:”static/skyid-login-9f5140a550d32″,”is-loggedin”:”static/is-loggedin-69dfe40b9565f”,”sky-sports-date”:”static/sky-sports-date-e985472a648e9″,”squad-selector”:”static/squad-selector-45e17c533f3a2″,”social-map”:”static/social-map-8bc134219358b”,”sp-player”:”static/sp-player-5ef6b052166d3″,”sticky-scroll”:”static/sticky-scroll-4ccc7640bda1f”,”string”:”static/string-19008c0fbd461″,”swipe-nav”:”static/swipe-nav-18987ddd0e3ed”,”subscriber-video”:”static/subscriber-video-5d8435b0ea5ab”,”table-sorter”:”static/table-sorter-7d5988301396e”,”table-sorter-lite”:”static/table-sorter-3d24f6a403740″,”tabs”:”static/tabs-b20fcf8e1c825″,”tabs-lite”:”static/tabs-lite-cb10daad481bf”,”tabs-filter”:”static/tabs-filter-1ef8b2a921435″,”tab-navigation”:”static/tab-navigation-68b7c289a7569″,”team-formations”:”static/team-formations-a90922defa046″,”thumbs”:”static/thumbs-0cf143fb65daa”,”toggle-class”:”static/toggle-class-dd3a8c4ce2c14″,”toggle-switch”:”static/toggle-switch-4b14c9522febe”,”trending”:”static/trending-e0bb96dbc6ece”,”trigger-event”:”static/trigger-event-580cd06dcede1″,”tv-guide”:”static/tv-guide-495271c3f333e”,”update-html”:”static/update-html-7913f53b11d6f”,”update-text”:”static/update-text-82964c420cfb8″,”user”:”core/js/modules/user”,”util”:”static/util-b69470ac564b1″,”validator”:”static/validator-f3b00bc96d618″,”vidiprinter”:”static/vidiprinter-e8c9174ecfa73″,”vm-suppression”:”static/vm-suppression-9a7148a4170ba”,”web-notifications”:”static/web-notifications-a91a27e944caf”,”widget”:”static/widget-e29945f3a184a”,”widget-lite”:”static/widget-lite-a450505656ea9″,”widget-loader”:”static/widget-loader-a0232be50e094″,”window-observer”:”static/window-observer-b10f792cfb582″,”your-say”:”static/your-say-3b2bbc5fcf119″}});
require((‘skysports_digrev’, ‘sdc-site-pub-sub’), function (appController, pubsub) {
window.sdc = window.sdc || {};
pubsub.init(window.sdc);
appController.init();
});