England v Argentina: Alex Mitchell and Jonny May to start Rugby World Cup opener

Alex Mitchell and Jonny May will start for England of their World Cup opener towards Argentina regardless of initially lacking out on the 33-man squad.

Scrum-half Mitchell and wing May had been late additions to Steve Borthwick’s squad after Jack van Poortvliet and Anthony Watson withdrew with damage.

Flanker Tom Curry begins his first sport because the Premiership last in May.

Open-side Curry, who began the 2019 World Cup last defeat by South Africa, is but to characteristic for England this summer season after recovering from an ankle damage.

Ben Earl replaces Saracens team-mate Billy Vunipola, who’s suspended for the opening sport following his pink card towards Ireland in England’s penultimate warm-up sport, at quantity eight.

Courtney Lawes completes the again row on the blind-side and continues as captain within the absence of Farrell.

Veteran prop Dan Cole begins at tight-head with Bath’s Will Stuart named amongst the replacements.

Wing Elliot Daly has recovered from a knee damage to be a part of 33-year-old May, who has 73 caps, and common full-back Freddie Steward within the again three.

Harlequins’ Joe Marchant companions Manu Tuilagi within the midfield – as they did within the defeat by Ireland in Dublin.

Replacement scrum-half Danny Care, 36, is given the nod over Leicester Tigers’ Ben Youngs on the bench in what may very well be solely his second World Cup look, having made his first towards Uruguay in 2015.

England, who’re ranked eighth on the planet, misplaced three of their 4 warm-up video games heading into the World Cup.

Borthwick’s aspect additionally face Japan, Chile and Samoa in Pool D, with the highest two sides progressing to the quarter-finals.

Prior to his damage, Leicester Tigers’ Van Poortvliet had been Borthwick’s favoured scrum-half, having began each sport within the Six Nations, with the 22-year-old recognized for his sturdy kicking sport.

Mitchell, 26, who’s extra of a working scrum-half, scored seven tries within the Premiership final season for Northampton Saints, however missed out on the preliminary 33-man squad.

However, he began England’s last warm-up sport towards Fiji, profitable solely his sixth cap, as Borthwick favoured him forward of veteran scrum-halves Care and Youngs.

With simply 5 tries in 4 warm-up matches, England’s assault could require extra vitality and dynamism, and Mitchell will help create “organised chaos” in accordance to former England worldwide Ugo Moyne.

Premiership-based gamers embrace captain Julian Montoya from Leicester Tigers and Gloucester fly-half Santiago Carreras.

Replacement hooker Agustin Creevy, 38, will play in his fourth World Cup, becoming a member of Mario Ledesma, Felipe Contepomi and Martin Scelzo for many tournaments featured at by an Argentine.

The Sale Sharks hooker is a part of a 6-2 cut up of forwards and backs chosen on the bench by coach Michael Cheika.

England: Steward; May, Marchant, Tuilagi, Daly; Ford, Mitchell; Genge, George, Cole, Itoje, Chessum, Lawes (capt), Curry, Earl.

Replacements: Dan, Marler, Stuart, Martin, Ludlam, Care, Smith, Lawrence.

Argentina: Mallia; Boffelli, Cinti, Chocobares, M Carreras; S Carreras, Bertranou; Gallo, Montoya (capt), Gomez Kodela, Lavanini, Alemanno, Martin Gonzalez, Kremer, Matera.

Replacements: Creevy, Sclavi, Bello, Petti Pagadizabal, Rubiolo, Bruni, Bazan Velez, Moroni.

Saturday, 9 September: England v Argentina (Stade de Marseille), 20:00 BST

Sunday, 17 September: England v Japan (Stade de Nice), 20:00

Saturday, 23 September: England v Chile (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille), 16:45

Saturday 7 October: England v Samoa (Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille), 16:45