Joe Marler and Will Stuart have been selected to start in England’s front row for the first Test against New Zealand in Dunedin on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Props Marler and Stuart are the only changes to the side which beat Japan 52-17 in Tokyo, replacing Bevan Rodd and Dan Cole.
Stuart scored two tries as England scored 19 unanswered points in the last 10 minutes to draw 25-25 at Twickenham in the sides’ last meeting in November 2022.
Cole drops to the bench and is in line to win his 114th cap to equal Jason Leonard as England’s second most capped men’s player, while Fin Baxter and Ollie Sleightholme could win their first caps.
Alex Coles replaces the suspended Charlie Ewels among the substitutes with Ben Spencer coming onto the bench for Harry Randall.
Highlights of England’s eight-try victory against former head coach Eddie Jones’ Japan in Tokyo.
England coach Steve Borthwick said: “It doesn’t get more challenging than playing New Zealand at home, but it’s exactly where we want to be.
“We want to find out more about ourselves and test ourselves against one of the best teams in the world.
“Test rugby is a game of fine margins, so our mindset is going to be very important on Saturday. We’ll need to be mentally strong, play a tactically smart game, and maintain our discipline.”
England: 15 George Furbank, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade,12 Ollie Lawrence, 11 Tommy Freeman, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Joe Marler, 2 Jamie George (c), 3 Will Stuart, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Martin, 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Tom Curry, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Ollie Sleightholme
England’s summer fixtures
Saturday June 22 – Japan 17-52 England
Saturday July 6 – vs New Zealand (8.05am), live on Sky Sports
Saturday July 13 – vs New Zealand (8.05am), live on Sky Sports
Watch England against New Zealand live on Saturday from 7.30am on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event (8.05am kick-off).Stream rugby’s summer internationals in 2024 and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
Ireland’s Stephen McKenna will look to maintain his unbeaten record when he faces Joe Laws as part of a packed night of boxing at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley on August 3,live on Sky Sports.
The pair will clash for the WBC international super welterweight title on the undercard of the sold-out show, topped by the British and Commonwealth super middleweight title fight between defending champion Zak Chelli and local star Callum Simpson.
McKenna returns having dispatched Yorkshire’s Darren Tetley inside six-rounds last time out at York Hall in September 2023 to continue his unbeaten run, while the ‘Benwell Bomber’ Laws is back in action following an upset win over Michael Hennessy Jr at the same venue a month later.
Image: Stephen McKenna defeated Darren Tetley at York Hall in London in September 2023
“These are the type of match-ups that excite me, especially in an open-air stadium in the middle of summer,” McKenna said. “I’ve been getting world class sparring out here in the States, and I’m feeling bigger, stronger and hitting harder than ever. And I can’t wait to show this come August 3.
“Joe Laws is game. He’s full of energy and won’t shy away from a scrap. He’s good at running his mouth and on the night he’ll try to put up a fight, but that just raises the ante for me to do more damage. Credit to him for taking this, because when those fists start flying it won’t look too pretty for him.
“Fans can expect nothing less than pure carnage. Our styles guarantee a high-action, high-volume fight at a ferocious pace. But whether I blast him out early or drown him late on, it’ll end with my hands raised.”
Fans can expect a fiery build up, with McKenna and Laws having already exchanged a series of barbs online and Laws pulling no punches in his assessment of his opponent.
“McKenna is about as well liked in boxing as Boris Johnson was during lockdown,” Joe Laws said. “I don’t need a reason to punch someone but he’s got one of those faces. I’m going to spark him and bring the belt back to Benwell. And the new!”
More undercard announcements will be revealed in the coming weeks for the stacked stadium show, which takes place at the home of Barnsley FC just a week before the new season begins.
British supermiddleweight champion Zak Chelli faced off with challenger Callum Simpson for the first time at Barnsley’s Oakwell stadium
BOXXER Founder & CEO Ben Shalom said: “Fight fans can look forward to a night of non-stop action at Oakwell on August 3. McKenna vs Laws is an excellent addition to the card.
“Neither man will want to take a backwards step, so expect fireworks when these two step into the ring.”
Join the waiting list at BOXXER.com to be notified of any further ticket releases or returns, while limited hospitality packages are still available via BOXXER.com and Barnsley Football club.
Watch Zak Chelli defend his British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles against Callum Simpson at Barnsley’s Oakwell Stadium, live on Sky Sports on Saturday August 3 or stream with NOW.
Guido Migliozzi snatched a fourth DP World Tour title after coming through a three-way play-off to claim a dramatic victory at the KLM Open.
Migliozzi had four bogeys in a six-hole stretch around the turn but birdied two of his last three holes to post a final-round 70 at The International in Amsterdam, seeing him end the week on 11 under alongside Marcus Kinhult and England’s Joe Dean.
The players returned to the par-five 18th for the play-off, where all three reached the green in two and two-putted for birdie, before Migliozzi prevailed in impressive fashion on the second extra hole.
Dean had to lay up after finding thick rough off the tee and Kinhult found the water with his second shot, leaving both posting pars, as Migliozzi reached the par-five green in two and two-putted from just over 60 feet to close out a first win since the 2022 Open de France.
“It’s been a great battle,” said Migliozzi, whose bogey on the 10th came after he could not find his original drive inside the permitted three minutes. “After I lost the ball on 10 inside me I was like ‘If I can go through this, then I can do it’.
Guido Migliozzi reflects on coming through a dramatic play-off to claim KLM Open victory
“I never thought I was done. I always try to make birdies and try to come back and here it is now. It’s an incredible feeling.”
Victory lifts Migliozzi to eighth in the latest Race to Dubai standings, while Dean and Kinhult both shared second after their final-round 68s. Migliozzi’s win sees him qualify for The Open next month at Royal Troon, via the Open Qualifying Series, with Dean taking the other spot due to his higher world ranking than Kinhult.
Image: Joe Dean has now made three top-fives this season on the DP World Tour
Dean – who also finished runner-up at the Magical Kenya Open and a part-time delivery driver earlier in the season – had finished his front nine with successive bogeys but fired five birdies after the turn to get into the play-off.
Kinhult posted back-to-back birdies from the 16th and then holed from six feet at the last to save par and also finish on 11 under, while Rasmus Hojgaard finished a further shot back in tied-fourth with Andrea Pavan.
Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin ended the week in sixth spot on nine under, as overnight leader Mikko Korhonen struggled to a closing 75 to finish in a tie for 10th.
Protest delays start to final round
Tee times had been delayed by two hours on Sunday when activists blocked the entrance to the course. The first five groups had already teed off but the remaining ones were pushed back, with the leaders eventually getting under way at 3pm local time.
Live DP World Tour Golf
Thursday 27th June 12:00pm
A spokesperson for the DP World Tour said: “Play was disrupted for two hours while a small group of protesters blocked the entrance to the golf course. We would like to thank the marshals, players and spectators for their help while the situation was resolved.”
What’s next?
The DP World Tour heads to Italy net for the Italian Open presented by Regione Emilia-Romagna, held at the Adriatic Golf Club Cervia in Ravenna. Watch live on Thursday from midday on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and more, without a contract, with NOW.
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Joe Root has backed under-pressure Jos Buttler to remain as England’s limited-overs captain.
England’s 36-run defeat to Australia on Saturday has left them facing a battle to make the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup, which, coming on the back of last year’s dismal defence of their 50-over crown, has piled the pressure on Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott.
But former Test skipper Root is confident Buttler can guide England into the latter stages, starting with victory in their crunch clash with Oman on Thursday – live on Sky Sports Cricket from 7.30pm (first ball 8pm).
Live ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Thursday 13th June 7:30pm
Asked if Buttler should stay on, Root said: “Jos is one of my good friends. I think he’s a brilliant captain, so I don’t think there’s any question.
“I think they’ll be absolutely fine, they’ve got a wonderful squad of players. They know exactly what they need to do.
Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton reflect on England’s T20 World Cup defeat to Australia, including how the decision to bowl Will Jacks in the powerplay backfired
“When it’s all laid out and they’ve got their backs to the wall, which they have in this situation now, is when they play their best cricket.
“It could really bring the best out of them, so I’ve got no worries whatsoever.
“If they go out and do what they all know that they’re capable of doing, we’ll be finding ourselves in the Super 8s and the back-end of the tournament where it really matters to play our best stuff.”
Highlights from Barbados as England suffered a 36-run defeat to Australia to remain winless at the T20 World Cup
Mott hopes Hazlewood comments are ‘tongue in cheek’
After Australia’s Josh Hazlewood told reporters that knocking England out of the T20 World Cup would be “in our best interests as well as probably everyone else”, England coach Mott believes the comments were just the result of “a very good sense of humour”.
Australia’s final Group B match against Scotland in St Lucia on Saturday could decide England’s fate, with them needing to beat Oman and Namibia in their remaining group matches and hope Scotland suffer a heavy defeat.
Australia thrashed Namibia to progress to the Super 8s at the ICC T20 World Cup
Hazlewood floated the idea that Australia, already qualified, could “knock it around and drag it out” in the final group match against Scotland, boosting their opponents’ net run-rate and moving England towards the exit door.
“I think I know Josh pretty well and I know his integrity. He’s got a very good sense of humour,” said Mott, who coached Hazlewood at New South Wales previously.
“I am hoping it was very much tongue in cheek. I actually don’t think it is ever going to play out. Having grown up in Australia, and the will to win every game, I am sure they will come to the fore.
“I am very much hoping it was an off-hand remark by a really good bloke who is having fun.”
Image: Could Josh Hazlewood’s comments see Australia come under scrutiny from the ICC?
Hazlewood’s response could earn the attention of the International Cricket Council, with Clause 2.11 of the Code of Conduct covering “any attempt to manipulate an International Match for inappropriate strategic or tactical reasons”.
As captain, Mitch Marsh would be liable for any such offence and be liable for two suspension points – effectively a two-match ban in white-ball cricket.
Mott, eager to move on from any distractions, stressed the Australia-Scotland game becomes an irrelevance should England fail to do their part and first beat Oman and Namibia handsomely.
“That’s all we can do, regardless of any outside noise, qualification, run-rates. We’ve got to win this game,” he said.
“We’re going to prepare really well for that. If we get in a dominant position and can push hard, we will, but if we have to scrap and fight to get the two points we will as well.
“Hopefully there’s still a lot of cricket left for us and the challenge ahead is something we’re excited by. We’re not daunted by it, we’re excited. That’s genuine.”
Group B standings
Image: England must beat Oman and Namibia and hope Australia can do them a favour and knock Scotland out of the T20 World Cup
What are the permutations?
Defending champions England are sweating on a place in the next phase of the tournament after a washout against Scotland was followed by a 36-run defeat to their Ashes rivals.
Scotland have beaten both Oman and Namibia, meaning they have five points already – the maximum amount that England can now finish the group stage with.
Highlights of Oman against Scotland from the T20 World Cup
If England defeat Oman on Thursday at 8pm, and Namibia on Saturday at 6pm, both live on Sky Sports, all eyes will be on the fixture between Scotland and Australia from 1am, also live on Sky Sports.
In that scenario, Scotland avoiding defeat against Australia would see them advance while sending England home. However, if Australia win, then second place in the group would be decided by net run-rate.
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