PARIS (AP) — Flanker Sam Underhill will make his first England appearance in more than a year and winger Henry Arundell his second of the Rugby World Cup in the third-place game against Argentina on Friday.
England has undergone eight changes after the semi-final was lost to South Africa 16-15 last Saturday.
Underhill joined the squad two weeks ago as a replacement for the injured Jack Willis. He was one of the 2019 stars in England's run to the final in Japan but his cap this week will be his first since July 2022 against Australia.
Arundell will have a chance at England's World Cup try-scoring record of six by Chris Ashton in 2011. In his only appearance in France five weeks ago, Arundell scored five tries in the 71-0 pool win against Chile in Lille.
England will field a new front row of Ellis Genge, Theo Dan and tighthead Will Stuart, who will make his first World Cup start after three games off the bench.
Ollie Chessum replaces George Martin to partner Maro Itoje in the second row, and Tom Curry has shifted to the blindside flank to make way for Underhill, reprising the dual sevens that England used so well in 2019.
Curry will earn his 50th cap from his 49th start in a week when World Rugby is investigating his allegation of being subject to a racial slur by South Africa's Bongi Mbonambi last weekend in their semi-final.
Ben Youngs has his first start in this World Cup and will combine with captain Owen Farrell in the halves for the first time since the 2021 Six Nations.
Marcus Smith has returned to fullback, where he started a test for the first time in the quarter-final win against Fiji, and regular fullback Freddie Steward has slid over to the wing in place of Jonny May.
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England: Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Henry Arundell, Owen Farrell (captain), Ben Youngs; Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje, Will Stuart, Theo Dan, Ellis Genge. Reserves: Jamie George, Bevan Rodd, Dan Cole, David Ribbans, Lewis Ludlam, Alex Mitchell, George Ford, Ollie Lawrence.
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AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
