England make 10 changes for Japan test with World Cup places at stake

Steve Borthwick has made ten personnel changes and two positional switches to his England starting side for Saturday's meeting with Japan, Guardian Rugby Union reported, with only three players retained in the same roles from the win over Australia.

The reshuffle hands first Test starts to Will Joseph on the right wing and Max Ojomoh at inside centre, while Henry Pollock makes his second international start, moving to number eight. Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland is poised for his debut off the bench.

Borthwick's opposite number is Eddie Jones, the Australian who coached England before Borthwick served as his assistant. Independent Sport reports that Jones once explained to Borthwick the idea of international rugby's twin horizons – the fixture directly in front of a team, and the longer-range pull of the next World Cup that never leaves a coaching staff's thinking.

That longer horizon, next year's World Cup, has shaped much of this selection. Borthwick has said he already has a strong sense of between 26 and 28 of his likely squad, which leaves this match, and others like it, functioning as an audition for the remaining five to seven places.

The changes were not driven solely by opportunity. Heavy recent workloads and injury returns for players such as Tommy Freeman and Fin Baxter were factored into team selection, while England are also missing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Furbank, Ollie Chessum and Seb Atkinson through injury. Borthwick is hopeful the latter three will be available for the visit of New Zealand next week.

Despite the chance for fringe figures to stake a claim, both the head coach and his captain have stressed that individual ambition must not come before the team. Maro Itoje told reporters: "We want the very best of every one of these guys", underlining that the priority remains collective performance rather than players chasing standout moments to further their World Cup claims, Guardian Rugby Union reported.

History offers a caution regardless of how strong England's starting line-up looks on paper. Independent Sport's assessment of the fixture is that Japan have proven capable of unsettling higher-ranked opposition before, meaning Borthwick's much-changed side cannot assume the changes will come without risk.

Attention will swiftly turn to the following weekend, when England host New Zealand with the hope of having Furbank, Chessum and Atkinson available again. For now, Saturday's contest with Japan doubles as both an immediate fixture to be won and a further data point in Borthwick's build towards his World Cup selection.