Captain Jamie George backed England’s inexperienced forwards to turn the tide in the final quarter of Saturday’s Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.
Beno Obano, Asher Opoku-Forjour, Henry Pollock and Guy Pepper each have four, six, 10 and 12 caps respectively.
Although second-row Charlie Ewels has 34 England caps to his name, he has been used sparingly over the last three seasons.
“They are foaming at the mouth at this opportunity,” George told Rugby Union Weekly.
“A lot of these guys have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.”
In the lead-up to the match, Pollock was the center of attention for the South Africans, with his flamboyant fielding style irritating some Springbok fans.
Last week, the 21-year-old flanker posted a photo from his plane heading to Johannesburg, posing with a clenched fist with the caption “See you soon ZA (South Africa)” and a blood drop emoji.external
George says a clear game plan aimed at impressing after defeat to France last time out means the replacement players will not be thrilled at the prospect of playing the closing stages against the two-time reigning world champions.
“It’s not just throwing them into the deep end,” George added.
“We give them an understanding of how we’re going to do it. This is what is required of you. And then they have a better understanding of where we need to be and what they need to do.”
“It creates excitement rather than any fear of the event.”
England’s bench contrasts with the strategy used by head coach Steve Borthwick at the height of their winning streak in 2025.