Steve Borthwick has paired Fin and Marcus Smith in play-making partnership in a much-changed England side to face Fiji.
The younger Smith takes the place of George Ford at fly half, with his namesake Marcus stationed at full-back with Freddie Steward struggling with a finger issue.
Tom Roebuck, who suffered an injury in training on Tuesday, is also absent from the back three that started in England’s 25-7 win over Australia last weekend as Tommy Freeman shifts out to the wing and Ollie Lawrence is brought in to the centres.
Maro Itoje is named on the bench for the first time since November 2017 with Ellis Genge set to lead the run-on side as a co-captain with the lock. Chandler Cunningham-South is given the No 8 shirt as Ben Earl reverts to the flank, with Tom Curry and Henry Pollock again withheld in bench roles.
“It was a pleasing start to the series against Australia last weekend, and we know we’ll need to take another step forward against Fiji,” said Borthwick.
“The focus for us this week is on improving on last weekend’s performance and continuing to develop our game.
“Fiji are a dangerous team with power and quality right across the pitch. They play with physicality and skill, so we’ll need to bring intensity, accuracy and discipline in everything that we do.
“Playing in front of our supporters again at Allianz Stadium means a huge amount to the players, and the team are determined to deliver a performance they can be proud of.”
Fiji beat England on their last visit to Twickenham in 2023 in a warm-up fixture ahead of the Rugby World Cup, though Borthwick’s side made amends in the quarter-final of that tournament.
Henry Arundell, named among the replacements, is in line for his first England appearance since the World Cup after a strong start to the season with Bath following his return to English rugby.
England XV to face Fiji at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham: 1 Ellis Genge (co-capt.), 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Joe Heyes; 4 Alex Coles, 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Guy Pepper, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Chandler Cunningham-South; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 Fin Smith; 11 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Tommy Freeman; 15 Marcus Smith.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Maro Itoje (co-capt.), 20 Tom Curry, 21 Henry Pollock; 22 Ben Spencer, 23 Henry
