England vs Japan LIVE - Latest score and updates as hosts struggle against Brave Blossoms
Follow the latest from the autumn international clash at Twickenham
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Your support makes all the difference.A heavily changed England side takes on Japan on Saturday afternoon in the third of their autumn internationals, with Eddie Jones looking to get his side back to winning ways after last weekend’s defeat by the All Blacks.
Jones hands Bath wing Joe Cokanasiga his England debut while Zach Mercer makes his first start at No 8, with only four players being retained and just two of those in the same position in the form of full-back Elliot Daly and lock Maro Itoje.
George Ford comes in at fly-half to replace Owen Farrell and captain the side on what will be his 50th cap, but he will want to ensure that England do not suffer a similar fate to the Springboks in 2015 after witnessing Japan pull off one of the great shocks of rugby union. Follow the live action below.
What time does it start?
England vs Japan kicks off at 3:00pm on Saturday 17 November.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main event from 2:30pm.
Teams
England: Elliot Daly; Joe Cokanasiga, Jack Nowell, Alex Lozowski, Chris Ashton; George Ford, Danny Care; Alec Hepburn, Jamie George, Harry Williams; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Courtney Lawes, Mark Wilson, Zach Mercer.
Replacements: Dylan Hartley, Ben Moon, Kyle Sinckler, Ted Hill, Sam Underhill, Richard Wigglesworth, Owen Farrell, Henry Slade.
Japan: Will Tupou; Akihito Yamada, Timothy Lafaele, Ryoto Nakamura, Kenki Fukuoka; Yu Tamura, Fumiaki Tanaka; Keita Inagaki, Atsushi Sakate, Koo Ji-won, Wimpie van der Walt; Uwe Helu, Michael Leitch, Masakatsu Nishikawa, Kazuki Himeno.
Replacements: Yusuke Niwai, Koki Yamamoto, Aasaeli Ai Valu, Samuela Anise, Hendrik Tui, Shunsuke Nunomaki, Yutaka Nagare, Rikiya Matsuda.
52 min: Japan are pulled up for offside in their own half and England subsequently opt to go for the line-out, instead of kicking for points. It's a mess, though, with Ewels failing to make the catch. England pounce on the loose ball but their confidence looks shot and another penalty is soon conceded by the hosts under the Japan posts. More ill-discipline.
55 min: Lucky for England, they're handed another penalty after the Japan defence was pulled up for not releasing in a tackle on Ford. The hosts wisely choose to kick for the posts this time and it's the fly-half who makes the conversion. England 13-15 Japan.
59 min: England 20-15 Japan (Wilson try, Ford conversion)
At last, a breakthrough for the home side. It was a relatively simple try, with Ford taking the ball into contact following a ruck inside the Japan 22. He drew in two defenders in the process, opening the space for Wilson to charge into after a smart inside offload from the England fly-half. From there, it was a quick sprint to the try line and seven points for the hosts.
63 min: England are awarded a penalty after Japan were pulled up for collapsing a scrum outside their 22. Ford indicates he wants to kick for the posts... and there's the conversion. 23-15. That's more like it.
66 min: A Danny Care box-kick is met with authority by Tupou, who comfortably beats Nowell to the falling ball. But he's subsequently met by a wall of black shirts and cleaned out.
68 min: Japan scrum down on the left flank, right on England's 22. The home side's heave is a mess and the visitors are quick to take the penalty, looking to take advantage of England's disorganised defence.
69 min: Somehow England have held on, drawing the penalty after 15 phases of play. It looks like it was Lawes who made the difference, having wrapped up Nakamura after he went to deck.
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