Launchbury, Shields start for England

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England lock Joe Launchbury

Joe Launchbury and Brad Shields have been included in England’s run-on XV for the second Test against the Springboks in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Shields earns his first Test start at blindside flank at the expense of Chris Robshaw, who misses out on selection altogether, while Launchbury has overcome the calf injury that kept him out of the opening Test and will start in the second row alongside Maro Itoje. Nick Isiekwe falls out of the match 23.

Mark Wilson has been added to the bench to provide lock cover, while Danny Cipriani takes Piers Francis’ spot among the substitutes.

England – 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Jonny May, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Owen Farrell (c), 11 Mike Brown, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Brad Shielfs, 5 Maro Itoje, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Subs: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Mark Wilson 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Denny Solomona.

June Test teams (Week 2)

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images