England v South Africa: Mike Brown dropped for Springbok Test
Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union

England v South Africa |
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Venue: Twickenham Date: Saturday 3 November Time: 15:00 GMT |
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, the BBC Sport website and app; watch highlights on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and online from 19:30 GMT. |
Experienced back Mike Brown has been left out of the England squad for Saturday's match with South Africa at Twickenham.
Brown, 33, is not part of a 25-man group retained in camp in Portugal and will return home on Tuesday evening.
Number eight Ben Morgan has also been released, leaving Bath's Zach Mercer in position to make his England debut against the Springboks.
Lock Courtney Lawes has been ruled out with a niggling back problem.
- Cheap shots, golf shots & new crops - inside England's Portugal training camp
- Follow the autumn internationals on the BBC
- Former captain Carling to mentor England team
Brown, who has 72 caps, has been an ever-present over the past few years under head coach Eddie Jones, starting all three Test matches against South Africa in June.
His absence means Elliot Daly is likely to start at full-back, with Jonny May and Jack Nowell on the wings.
Chris Ashton, back in English rugby with Sale after a spell at Toulon, has also been retained, and is set for his first England appearance since June 2014.
England's autumn internationals | |
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3 November | South Africa |
10 November | New Zealand |
17 November | Japan |
24 November | Australia |
Lawes will remain in Portugal for rehabilitation on his injury, but has not been considered for selection.
"He's a top quality player, and we know that, he's been brilliant over this last period of time," said England forwards coach Steve Borthwick.
"But we have got options."
Bath's uncapped wing Joe Cokanasiga has been released along with Saracens pair Alex Lozowski and Richard Wigglesworth.
In the forwards, Saracens back row Michael Rhodes, Bath flanker Sam Underhill and Worcester prop Nick Schonert are also out of contention.
Schonert's 19-year-old club team-mate Ted Hill - who was in the training camp as an apprentice - has also been released.
England squad to face South Africa:
Forwards: Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints) co-captain, Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby), Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs), Brad Shields (Wasps), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs), Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
Backs: Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks), Danny Care (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Owen Farrell (Saracens) co-captain, George Ford (Leicester Tigers), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Ben Te'o (Worcester Warriors), Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).
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Brown, Haskell, Robshaw et al have been phenomenal sportsmen and ill be sad to see them leave!
There are big gaps to be filled in this team.
And Wales current squad has 7. Go figure. The damning statistic that a whopping 6 of Wales 7 were born in England! Perhaps they should play for England in your eyes?
Take your bigotry somewhere else
Because the BBC think it's more important to give millions to Graham Norton and Chris Evans to satisfy the national obsession with vacuous "celebrity". And then spend the rest of the licence fee on their politically correct agenda.
No rugby, no cricket but plenty of mindless drivel and self serving posturing.
Luckily I have Sky, but I resent paying twice.
Youngs has been terrible for ages, Mercer is young but has not shined at Bath, Stooke the same. Ben Teo?! Cmon, get a grip.
Exeter's back row not getting a single look in,.. Morgan and Cips on form..
I cant see this team beating Aus and NZ.
Anyway, as ever never let the facts get in the way of a good lie!
Rugby is mostly a game of the Commonwealth.
People do emigrate!
Australia's captain was born in Kent.
Numerous current All Blacks and Aussie's and Irish were born in the Pacific Islands.
France and Scotland pick South Africans.
And Martin Johnson was from Krypton!
You couldn’t be more wrong International rugby is a battle and you need in your face players who refuse to take a backwards step. Brown epitomises that warrior spirit and gives everything for the team. I think you may need to go back to watching football 😂
Pace.