England team to face South Africa: Brad Shields wins first Test start after Chris Robshaw is dropped

Brad Shields
Shields made his Test debut against South Africa last week Credit: Getty Images

Chris Robshaw has been dropped for the first time since he was appointed England captain in 2012, with Brad Shields sensationally handed his first start on the blindside flank for the second Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Robshaw drops out of the 23-man squad as New Zealand-born Shields, who made his England debut off the bench in last Saturday’s defeat in Johannesburg as a first-half replacement for Nick Isiekwe.

Danny Cipriani is also poised to make his first appearance since the World Cup warm-up match against France in August 2015 after being named on the bench in place of Piers Francis as Eddie Jones rings the changes in a bid to salvage the three-Test series.

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