Injured Rokoduguni out, Yarde in squad for SA
Stuart Lancaster retains 24 players to prepare for Springboks
Marland Yarde and James Haskell are changes from All Blacks defeat
Semesa Rokoduguni is out of the clash with South Africa at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, with Marland Yarde replacing the Bath Rugby wing in the squad for the second QBE International.
Rokoduguni, who made his Test debut in last week’s 24-21 defeat to New Zealand, injured his thigh and Stuart Lancaster believes there is not enough time for him to recover to face the Springboks.
That is the only change to the 23 players selected to face the All Blacks, with the addition of an extra back row option after Tom Wood was unable to take a full part in Tuesday’s training. James Haskell, in a rich vein of for club side Wasps earlier this term, provides the necessary cover.
After announcing 24 players to return to Pennyhill Park on Wednesday evening to complete preparations for South Africa, the England Head Coach offered the following explanation.
“The players have responded well and we’ve had a good few days’ training,” he said. “Roko did some limited training this morning but is unlikely to fully recover from his thigh injury in time for the game so Marland is in the group coming back tomorrow.
“Tom [Wood] is still sore from the weekend and sat out training so we are including five back rows to give us options before we announce the side on Thursday morning.”
Stuart /Lancaster will announce his team to face South Africa at 9:45am on Thursday morning. Watch an exclusive interview on EnglandRugby.com.
England squad to face South Africa
Forwards (14)
Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby)
Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Matt Mullan (Wasps)
David Wilson (Bath Rugby)
Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Rob Webber (Bath Rugby)
Tom Wood (Northampton Saints)
Backs (10)
Brad Barritt (Saracens)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Danny Care (Harlequins)
Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Marland Yarde (Harlequins)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
Returning to Aviva Premiership clubs
Calum Clark (Northampton Saints)
Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints)
Alex Goode (Saracens)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby)
Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
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