England play Samoa in their final Rugby World Cup Pool D match in Lille today.
Steve Borthwick’s side have already won the group but will be targeting another strong performance ahead of the quarter-finals.
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Borthwick has reunited playmakers George Ford and Owen Farrell for the game. Farrell needs just two more points to overtake Jonny Wilkinson as England's record points scorer.
Despite his side already being through as table-toppers, Borthwick will still be demanding full attention and a strong performance against Samoa to keep confidence and momentum high ahead of the knockout stages.
They may have fallen in close games against both Argentina and Japan after an early bonus-point win over World Cup debutants Chile, but Samoa remain a test not to be taken lightly with their energy and physical threat.
Seilala Mapusua’s side still can technically snatch that last runners-up spot behind England in Pool D, but it would take a remarkable sequence of events for that to happen with Argentina vs Japan in Nantes on Sunday essentially a shootout for the right to finish second and meet Wales in the quarters.
Samoa will be keen to finish third however and guarantee their place at the 2027 tournament in Australia.
Date, kick-off time and venue
England vs Samoa takes place today on Saturday October 7, 2023, with kick-off scheduled for 4:45pm BST.
The Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille will host England again this weekend, having also been the venue for their 11-try, 71-0 mauling of Chile on September 23.
Where to watch England vs Samoa
TV channel: England vs Samoa is available to watch live and free to air today in the UK on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 4:15pm.
Live stream: Fans can also catch the action live online via the ITVX website and app.
Live blog: Follow the game live with Standard Sport’s blog, featuring expert analysis from rugby correspondent Nick Purewal at the ground.
England vs Samoa team news
Borthwick has unsurprisingly named a strong side against Samoa after a two-week break since a much-changed outfit demolished Chile, eager to keep his key players appropriately battle-tested and ready for the quarter-finals.
For the first time in his short reign so far the England boss has faced a number of key selection decisions, with Marcus Smith having shone from full-back last time out and Henry Arundell matching the England record for most tries in a single Test match with five.
However, it is Freddie Steward who returns to 15 against Samoa with Arundell and Smith dropped, with George Ford and captain Owen Farrell the 10-12 partnership and the Samoa-born Manu Tuilagi at 13 with Joe Marchant switched out to the wing, opposite Jonny May.
Tom Curry is back from suspension after his early red card in the opening win over Argentina in Marseille and he joins Courtney Lawes and Ben Earl in the back row, with specialist No 8 Billy Vunipola only on the bench.
For Samoa, Montpellier wing Ben Lam has been handed a three-game ban by World Rugby after his red card for a dangerous tackle against Japan.
They show nine changes from the loss to Japan, with a new tight five and Lima Sopoaga at fly-half.
England vs Samoa lineups
England: Steward; Marchant, Tuilagi, Farrell (c), May; Ford, Mitchell; Genge, George, Cole, Itoje, Chessum, Lawes, Curry, Earl.
Replacements: Dan, Marler, Sinckler, Martin, Vunipola, Care, Smith, Lawrence.
Samoa: Paia’aua; Ah Wong, Manu, Toala, Fomai; Sopoaga, Taumateine; Jordan Lay, Malolo, Alaalatoa (c), Slade, Alainu’u’ese, McFarland, Lee, Luatua.
Replacements: Lam, James Lay, Alo-Emile, Fa’aso’o, Motuga, Matavao, Lealiifano, Fai’ilagi.
England vs Samoa referee
The referee for Saturday’s game will be Andrew Brace of Ireland, supported by assistants Nika Amashukeli and Chris Busby plus TMO Brian MacNeice.
England vs Samoa prediction
Much-changed England started slowly against Chile before producing an emphatic rout that followed a more low-key win over Japan and that superb opening weekend defeat of the Pumas.
Borthwick now faces some real tough selection calls with a likely quarter-final date with Fiji looming and it is essential that he gets the formula right, particularly those tricky backline combinations.
Samoa also brushed aside Chile and would have expected to be bested by Argentina, but the Japan result was a disappointment after Lam’s sending off.
However, they will be remain fully motivated here to ensure that they are able to secure automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup.
England to win, but without a bonus point.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
England have won all of their previous eight meetings with Samoa, including at the 1995, 2003 and 2007 World Cups.
They last met during the 2017 autumn international series at Twickenham, with the hosts winning 48-14 on that occasion.
England wins: 8
Samoa wins: 0
Draws: 0
England vs Samoa latest odds
England to win: 1/14
Samoa to win: 14/1
Draw: 80/1
