England men’s head coach Steve Borthwick has confirmed his England XV to face France XV on Friday 19 June at Stade de la Rabine in Vannes, with kick-off at 5.15pm BST.
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George Ford has been named captain and will lead a squad that combines experienced international players with others aiming to strengthen their case for future England Test selection.
The match is an important part of England’s build-up to the inaugural Nations Championship, which begins in July.
“We’re looking forward to an exciting challenge against a strong French team in what will be a demanding fixture,” said Borthwick.
“I’m eager to see this group get out there and show what they’re capable of. It’s a great opportunity to keep developing our game in the lead-up to the forthcoming Nations Championship.”
Among the replacements is Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who could be set for his first England appearance since receiving World Rugby dispensation allowing him to switch allegiance from his native South Africa.
Janse van Rensburg previously represented South Africa at under-20 level, but is now part of the England squad as he moves towards completing the five-year residency period required to become eligible, with his debut potentially coming in July.
He will not be available for England’s opening Nations Championship match against South Africa, but is expected to be available from the Fiji fixture onwards.
The non-capped fixture on Friday, which excludes players involved in the PREM Final, will be broadcast live on RugbyPass TV.
After the Vannes match, England begin their Nations Championship campaign against South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday 4 July, followed by fixtures against Fiji and Argentina. All Nations Championship matches will be shown live on ITV Sport.
ENGLAND XV vs France XV
- Friday 19 June 2026
- Stade de la Rabine, Vannes
- Kick-off: 5.15pm BST
15. Marcus Smith (Harlequins)
14. Noah Caluori (Saracens)
13. Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby)
12. Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby)
11. Cadan Murley (Harlequins)
10. George Ford (Sale Sharks) – captain
9. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears)
1. Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks)
2. Theo Dan (Saracens)
3. George Kloska (Bristol Bears)
4. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers)
6. Ted Hill (Bath Rugby)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
8. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
Replacements:
16. Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers)
17. Beno Obano (Bath Rugby)
18. Vilikesa Sela (Bath Rugby)
19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
20. Jack Kenningham (Harlequins)
21. Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks)
22. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears)
23. Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers)
NAME EVERY ENGLAND CAPTAIN OF THE PROFESSIONAL ERA:
Since rugby turned professional in 1995, England have had a host of captains lead the team through World Cups, Grand Slams, Lions tours and some of the biggest moments in the sport’s history.
From World Cup-winning legends to short-term stand-ins, how many England captains of the professional era can you name?
You have five minutes to name them all. Good luck!
