✨ Check out this must-read post from BBC Sport 📖
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📌 Main takeaway:
Borthwick was without several of his biggest stars for the summer tour of Argentina and the United States as it coincided with the British and Irish Lions’ trip to Australia.
The relatively inexperienced side won all three matches on that tour to continue the momentum of England’s impressive finish to the Six Nations, which began with a 27-22 defeat to Ireland in Dublin.
This remains their only loss of 2025, with a home test against Argentina on Sunday rounding out England’s schedule for the calendar year.
Those performances in the summer have increased competition for places, as demonstrated by those who did not feature against the All Blacks.
Finn Smith, England’s first choice for most of the Six Nations matches, did not feature in Round 23 on Saturday, while Lions trio Tommy Freeman, Olly Chisum and Elliot Daly are among a group of players who have legitimate claims to be involved but due to their injuries.
Kick-off against New Zealand (November 15, 2025): Freddie Steward; Tom Roebuck, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Emmanuel Faye Waboso; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Finn Baxter, Jimmy George, Joe Hayes, Maro Itoje (captain), Alex Coles, Jay Pepper, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stewart, Chandler Cunningham South, Tom Curry, Henry Bullock, Ben Spencer, Marcus Smith.
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