Three Chiefs in England squad

By Mark Stevens
7/6/18

Exeter Chiefs trio Henry Slade, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Harry Williams have all been named in Eddie Jones' England side for Saturday's first Test against South Africa at at Ellis Park, Johannesburg (4:05pm).

Slade is set to win his 11th international cap after being named at centre alongside skipper Owen Farrell, while front-row duo Cowan-Dickie and Williams are included on the England bench.

Jones has included seven players in the starting XV who were involved in the Premiership final between Saracens and the Chiefs two weekends ago.

Nick Isiekwe (Saracens) will make his first start for England while two uncapped players - Brad Shields (Hurricanes/ Wasps) and Ben Spencer (Saracens) - are also named as finishers.

Jones said: “We have had a really good week in preparation for this weekend and we are pleased with the way the squad has come together.

“Owen Farrell has settled in well to his new role, with the senior players supporting him, and there is a good feeling within the camp. We want to do something special on this tour and the players are all incredibly excited about this challenge and opportunity we have.

“Ellis Park is the spiritual homeland of South African rugby and the Springboks play to another level on that ground, so we know we have to raise our game physically early on and be enormously accurate in the way we play.”

England will play South Africa in three Tests in Johannesburg (9 June), Bloemfontein (16 June) and Cape Town (23 June).

ENGLAND SIDE TO FACE SOUTH AFRICA

15 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 18 caps)
14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 34 caps)
13 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 10 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 58 caps, capt)
11 Mike Brown (Harlequins, 69 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 45 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 74 caps)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 49 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens, 25 caps)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 10 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 19 caps)
5 Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 2 caps)
6 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 64 caps)
7 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 1 cap)
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 34 caps)

16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 5 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 56 caps)
18 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 8 caps)
19 Brad Shields (Hurricanes/ Wasps, 0 caps)
20 Nathan Hughes (Wasps, 14 caps)
21 Ben Spencer (Saracens, 0 caps)
22 Piers Francis (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)
23 Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)