England lose George Furbank to appendicitis before South Africa clash
England full-back George Furbank has been ruled out of the Test match against South Africa in Johannesburg after being rushed to hospital with appendicitis.
The 29-year-old was due to start at Ellis Park in what would have been his first international appearance since 2024.
However, the Harlequins-bound playmaker began suffering symptoms following the captain’s run and will no longer feature against the Springboks.
Head coach Steve Borthwick now faces a significant selection headache as he attempts to end a four-match losing streak.
Replacement options for Borthwick
Freddie Steward, the squad’s other specialist full-back, is currently nursing an ankle injury and remains unavailable.
This leaves Marcus Smith as the most likely candidate to be promoted from the replacements bench into the starting XV.
The late withdrawal is a major disruption to the attacking plans formulated for this gruelling Nations Championship itinerary.
Continuation of injury woes
This latest medical emergency marks another cruel setback for a player who recently led Northampton Saints to the Premiership title.
The versatile back broke his arm at the end of 2024 before enduring a heavily disrupted 2025 season plagued by recurring calf and knee issues.
A subsequent concussion also kept him out of the start of the Six Nations, a tournament that yielded England’s worst-ever championship campaign.
Following the clash in Johannesburg, the national side will travel to face Fiji and Argentina later this July.