Billy Vunipola will play his second game in the space of four days after being named as one of the handful of retained starters in a drastically overhauled England side to face the USA in Kobe on Thursday.
The Saracens No 8 is one of just five players asked to back up after a bruising contest with Tonga in Sapporo on Sunday with Eddie Jones ringing the changes. Tom Curry, Joe Marler, Elliot Daly and George Ford, who will captain the side from stand-off with Owen Farrell on bench duty, are the others.
Bath wing Ruaridh McConnochie will win his second cap with Northampton’s Lewis Ludlam and Gloucester’s Willi Heinz, both starting for only the third time for England in what is predominantly England’s second-string.
“We have looked at some players that would benefit not playing in this game so have kept them out of the 23. But it is a great opportunity for another set of players to do the team proud,” said Jones.
“The four-day turnaround is something we experimented with against Japan last autumn and so the players have had some experience of it. What I see now is players handling it really well but the game on Thursday will be the litmus test.”
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It means that two games into the World Cup England will have used all but two of their players – Mako Vunipola and Jack Nowell – and both those arrived in Japan injured.
Jonny May and Henry Slade picked up minor bumps against Tonga and are rested along with Manu Tuilagi, Maro Itoje, Jamie George and Sam Underhill who are being wrapped in cotton wool.
Leicester prop Dan Cole will move alongside Jonny Wilkinson as England’s third-most capped player when he wins his 91st cap. The 32-year-old will pack down against Toulouse’s David Ainuu, who is 13 years his junior, as the Eagles play their first game of the tournament.
“USA are a tough, physical team who are extremely well coached by Gary Gold. There are a number of players who our guys know really well and are a team we respect. They have prepared two weeks with the marines for this game so they will be fit, tough and be playing for the pride of their country,” said Jones.
England: Daly; McConnochie, Joseph, Francis, Cokanasiga; Ford (capt), Heinz; Marler, Cowan-Dickie, Cole, Launchbury, Kruis, Curry, Ludlam, Vunipola.
Replacements: Singleton, Genge, Sinckler, Lawes, Wilson, Youngs, Farrell, Watson.