Roebuck Replaces Furbank as England Adjust Back-Three Ahead of Fiji Clash

Sale wing Tom Roebuck joins England squad replacing George Furbank amid injuries as England prepare for Fiji clash in Liverpool. England seek to end five-match losing streak with key back-three adjustments.

Roebuck Called Up Amid England's Back-Three Injury Challenges

Sale wing Tom Roebuck has been included in the England squad as head coach Steve Borthwick manages options in the back three due to multiple injuries.

Roebuck steps in for Northampton full-back George Furbank, who withdrew from the starting lineup for Saturday's 45-21 defeat to South Africa because of appendicitis.

England have suffered five consecutive Test losses, with their sole victory in 2026 being a 48-7 win over Wales in February.

Anything less than a win against Fiji at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool on Saturday would increase pressure on Borthwick, despite recent support from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) leadership for his role leading the team into next year's Rugby World Cup in Australia.

Injury Concerns Ahead of Liverpool Match

England face two major injury issues for their first match in the northwest since 2015.

Wing Cadan Murley, who started in the loss to the Springboks, and Freddie Steward, the squad's only specialist full-back following Furbank's illness, are nursing shoulder and ankle injuries respectively.

Tommy Freeman, who played outside centre in Johannesburg, may revert to his usual wing position or cover at full-back, where Marcus Smith started last weekend.

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is expected to start on one wing, leaving Roebuck and Saracens' teenage talent Noah Caluori to compete for the other spot if Murley is unable to recover and Freeman is assigned elsewhere.

Focus on Aerial Strength and New Cap Contention

Both Roebuck and Caluori are noted for their aerial ability, an area Borthwick emphasized for improvement after South Africa, the double reigning world champions, disrupted and dominated contestable kicks.

"They won seven kicks back and we won a couple back," Borthwick said.

"That's a big discrepancy at this level and clearly one of the big deciding factors because that gave them field position and put pressure on the team."

Additionally, Bristol's South African-born centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg is in contention for his first Test cap, having completed five years' residency and following a successful RFU appeal regarding his eligibility.