England have confirmed that Owen Farrell will sit out against Tonga in their first Autumn Test following his positive Covid test on the eve of the contest.
There was much talk about the No. 10 jersey heading into the Tonga fixture, with Farrell coming under pressure from Harlequins' young star Marcus Smith.
However, Smith himself was an injury doubt coming into the fixture, and it is George Furbank who will fill in at fly-half at Twickenham with the Harlequins star on the bench.
In Farrell's place, Courtney Lawes, who is making his 88th cap, will captain the side against Tonga.
The Northampton Saints veteran was elected by head coach Eddie Jones as one of three vice-captains to aid Farrell in the leadership duties, along with Leicester Tigers skipper Ellis Genge and Sale Sharks star Tom Curry.
"As Owen is unavailable to us, we’ve made these changes to the team to face Tonga today," said Jones ahead of kick-off.
"It’s a great chance for the team to see how we adapt to challenges and keep focused on preparing for a big game. We can’t wait to play in front of a full crowd at Twickenham."
Furbank has experience playing in the No. 10 jersey for Northampton, and he replaced Smith at fly-half when England demolished Canada 70-14 in July.
However, this will be his first Test start in the position in what will be only his fifth international appearance.
The news of Farrell's absence is a huge blow, with the Saracens fly-half hoping to have lined up for his 100th international cap, 94th for England, on Saturday.
The Red Rose will nevertheless feel upbeat about their chances against a Tonga team that succumbed 60-14 against Scotland last Saturday.
The tourists have been strengthened by the arrivals of a number of new players this week, but perhaps not enough to give Tonga enough hope for an upset at Twickenham.
While Smith's minor leg injury may prevent him from starting, fans will still hope to get a look at the aspiring England talisman off the bench.
