South Africa vs England: Billy Vunipola starts first game in over a year against Springboks in first Test

Billy Vunipola will start his first England match in over a year against South Africa this Saturday after Eddie Jones named the No 8 in his starting line-up for the first Test against the Springboks.

The Saracens back-row has not been seen in an England shirt since the final game of the 2017 Six Nations last March, having suffered an injury-stricken campaign that involved shoulder, knee, arm and hamstring injuries that has limited him to a handful of appearances over the last 18 months.

But after returning to action in the Premiership semi-final and scoring a try in Saracens’ final victory over Exeter Chiefs at the end of May, Vunipola has been trust straight back into the England line-up in the hope of arresting their four-game losing streak.

“We have had a really good week in preparation for this weekend and we are pleased with the way the squad has come together,” head coach Jones said. “Owen Farrell has settled in well to his new role as captain 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.”

Jones has spoken of his refusal to panic, having suffered consecutive defeats by Scotland, France, Ireland and the Barbarians, but he has looked to rejig his side in the hope of sparking a return to form. Elliot Daly remains at full-back following his brief outing against the Baa-Baas, with Mike Brown once again named on the left-wing, while the George Ford-Owen Farrell midfield axis is restored with Henry Slade beating Alex Lozowski to the No 13 shirt.

Ben Youngs returns from injury after missing more than two months with knee ligament damage suffered during the Six Nations to partner Leicester Tigers teammate Ford at half-back.

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Farrell has been named captain for the tour in the absence of Dylan Hartley – who has been left at home to recover from a worrying concussion that he suffered in the Six Nations loss to Ireland – and Jamie George replaces him at hooker as expected. With Dan Cole “rested” for the tour, Kyle Sinckler joins George and regular loosehead prop Mako Vunipola in the front-row, but there is not Joe Launchbury as he failed to recover from a calf injury, meaning that 20-year-old Nick Isiekwe partners Maro Itoje in the second-row.

The presence of New Zealand-born flanker Brad Shields has not affected Chris Robshaw’s place in the squad as he retains the No 6 shirt, with Sale’s Tom Curry completing the back-row alongside Vunipola. Shields is named in the matchday squad though as he features on the bench with Wasps No 8 Nathan Hughes, with Joe Marler, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Harry Williams completing the forward replacements – meaning that Exeter lock Jonny Hill misses out.

There is also no place for Danny Cipriani who has to wait for his first cap in three years, with Ben Spencer, Piers Francis and Denny Solomona completing the replacements.

Elliot Daly; Jonny May, Henry Slade, Owen Farrell, Mike Brown; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Joe Marler, Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler; Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe; Chris Robshaw, Tom Curry, Billy Vunipola.

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Marler, Harry Williams, Brad Shields, Nathan Hughes, Ben Spencer, Piers Francis, Denny Solomona.