Our experts choose which England side they want to see against Japan

Minimal changes so England can end a dispiriting autumn on a high, with a few experimental tweaks that attempt to answer the questions and doubts left by the past three defeats. Unfortunately, the poor level of opposition means we may not get those answers, but an effort must be made.

Can Marcus Smith and George Ford play together? Would having the former at full-back give him a bit more time and space to summon those poor individual spells? Will Ford be able to get more out of England’s failing midfield? Jack van Poortvliet was harassed by South Africa last Saturday, but I do believe he is in England’s top two scrum halves in the longer term.

Jamie George starts on the bench to offer a leadership option towards the end of the match, something sorely lacking this autumn, while George Martin – so important to the English cause – is rested. He’s young, has played a lot of rugby, is injury prone and has looked absolutely devastated in the last two weeks when he was replaced. And yes, Asher Opoku-Fordjour should also get a chance from the bench.