England full-back George Furbank will miss the Nations Championship season opener against South Africa in Johannesburg this Saturday. The 29-year-old was diagnosed with appendicitis on Friday evening, cutting short his return to international rugby after an absence of nearly two years.
In response to the sudden illness, Marcus Smith will take over the 15 position, while Henry Slade has been promoted to the replacements bench. Head coach Steve Borthwick’s squad is scheduled to take on the defending champion Springboks at Ellis Park at 16:40 BST.
Furbank’s selection had been a highlight of the team announcement earlier this week. The Northampton-born player has endured a difficult run of injuries affecting his arm, calf, knee, and concussion health since his last international appearance in November 2024. Despite this latest misfortune, he had recently regained excellent form, captaining Northampton to a Premiership title before his transfer to Harlequins.
