England v Japan LIVE: Latest score and updates as heavily-changed hosts face familiar foe Eddie Jones in Nations Championship

We’ve talked about the opportunities for the players on both sides, but referee Damian Schneider will want to make a positive impression, too. The Argentine official is hoping to earn selection for next year’s World Cup, of course, having made good strides in the last couple of years. He oversaw Japan’s entertaining Pacific Nations Cup final defeat to Fiji last year.

Referee: Damian Schneider (Arg)

ARs: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ) & Craig Evans (Wal)

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA)

FPRO: Aled Griffiths (Wal)

Maro Itoje was effusive in his praise of Japan’s defensive lineout on Thursday, noting how Warner Dearns, Harry Hockings and Jack Cornelsen combine so well as three jumping threats. Itoje retains duties as England’s lineout caller and will expect their visitors to put the pressure on.

It could be a key outing for Theo Dan, too, in that regard when he comes on. Steve Borthwick had probably earmarked this game for a debut for Kepu Tuipulotu before the young Bath front-rower got injured, and Dan’s darts have too often failed to hit the mark at Test level.

Eddie Jones was fond of a shock squad selection during his time as England boss but his installation of Riku Tokito on the left wing goes beyond anything he did in his Twickenham tenure. This is the Japan back’s first game of professional 15-a-side rugby – a bronze medallist in sevens at the Asian Games, Tokito spent some of this year with the Toshiba Brave Lupus and has real physical talent. Expect England to test him and the dimunitive but dangerous Kippei Ishida regularly in the air, mind.

This feels a huge opportunity for Max Ojomoh, who impressed with his ingenuity against Argentina last year but England feel has weaknesses in certain areas. His work off the ball and at the defensive breakdown may be just as important as showcasing his obvious gifts as a playmaking triple threat.

Japan stick with a settled selection, though hand Riku Tokito a debut on the wing in the absence of the injured Inoke Burua. Warner Dearns, who had been something of a fitness doubt, co-captains alongside scrum half Naoto Saito, and provides plenty of size alongside lock partner Harry Hockings.

Japan XV: 1 Yota Kamimori, 2 Mamoru Harada, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi; 4 Harry Hockings, 5 Warner Dearns (co-capt.); 6 Ben Gunter, 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 8 Jack Cornelsen; 9 Naoto Saito (co-capt.), 10 Riku Kitahara; 11 Riku Tokito, 12 Samisoni Tua, 13 Dylan Riley, 14 Kippei Ishida; 15 Kazuma Ueda.

Replacements: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Sojiro Otsuka, 18 Opeti Helu, 19 Michael Stolberg, 20 Tiennan Costley; 21 Shinobu Fujiwara, 22 Shinya Komura, 23 Jisu Lee.

England ring the changes from the win over Australia, with four injury absentees and a host of tactical switches elsewhere. George Ford, Cadan Murley, Max Ojomoh, Will Joseph and Freddie Steward all come into the starting backline, while replacement scrum half Archie McParland awaits a debut from the bench.

Up front, there is a whole new starting front row with Asher Opoku-Fordjour given a rare start. Alex Coles shifts to the blindside in the absence of Ollie Chessum, with Henry Pollock given just his second Test start at No 8.

England XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour; 4 Maro Itoje (capt.), 5 George Martin; 6 Alex Coles, 7 Ben Earl, 8 Henry Pollock; 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 10 George Ford; 11 Cadan Murley, 12 Max Ojomoh, 13 Henry Slade, 14 Will Joseph; 15 Freddie Steward.

Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Arthur Clark, 20 Ben Curry, 21 Greg Fisilau; 22 Archie McParland, 23 Marcus Smith.

It’s a crisp day in south-west London, the sun beginning to dip and the temperature going down with it. A few people high up within English rugby were pleased with the later kick off time allowing them to put on a lights show ahead of the real action starting.

The RFU have done well to all but sell this game out amid a busy autumn at Twickenham. It’s a slightly more diverse and youthful crowd in than on a typical men’s matchday, by the looks of things, but they could have plenty to entertain them.

One area in which I’d expect to see England go after Japan today is at the maul. It’s become such an advantageous tactic for attacking teams in the last few months – here’s why, and some of the fun things that sides are producing off of it.

Warner Dearns insists his Japan team must flex their muscles if they are to make an impression on England.

While head coach Eddie Jones has placed the focus on the left-field tactics needed to disrupt the overwhelming favourites, Dearns knows it will count for nothing if Japan fail to match them upfront.

“It’s always a set-piece battle against England,” the Brave Blossoms’ captain said.

“They do a very good job at the scrum and line-out and in the past we’ve ended up on the back foot a bit.

“They’re obviously very, very physical and I remember in 2022 when Eddie was England coach they brought line speed on our forwards and we didn’t have anywhere to go but backwards.

“I assume they’ll have similar tactics and bring the physicality again this time.”

Eddie Jones has promised that Japan will “do something different” today as they seek a first success against England – but the hosts believe they are ready for anything.