Nations Championship: England call up Emmanuel Iyogun and Chandler Cunningham-South to replace injured Cadan Murley, Beno Obano

England are facing a back-three selection headache after Cadan Murley was ruled out of the Nations Championship clash against Fiji with injury; Beno Obano also misses out after having returned to the squad for the first time since 2023; England play Fiji on Saturday July 11 in Liverpool

Tuesday 7 July 2026 12:17, UK

England have called up Emmanuel Iyogun and Chandler Cunningham-South to replace Cadan Murley and Beno Obano, both of whom suffered injuries in the 45-21 defeat to South Africa in Johannesburg.

Murley's injury creates a back-three selection headache for Steve Borthwick, who is already without George Furbank for the summer after the Northampton star underwent surgery on his appendix ahead of the Ellis Park loss, though full-back Freddie Steward is expected to be available for Saturday's clash with Fiji in Liverpool after missing the Springboks showdown because of a rolled ankle.

Sale wing Tom Roebuck was drafted in in Furbank's place by Borthwick, though it was Harlequins' Marcus Smith who started at full-back on Saturday despite primarily playing at fly-half for club and country.

England humbled by South Africa in Nations Championship
Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract
Choose the Sky Sports push notifications you want

Obano, who had returned to the England squad for the first time since February 2023, is replaced by the uncapped prop Iyogun, who could be set to make his senior debut after making three appearances for England A.

Cunningham-South, who endured a challenging season with Harlequins as they stumbled to a ninth-place finish in the Gallagher PREM, also returns to the side to reinforce the back row.

A loss against Fiji at the Hill Dickinson Stadium would pile up the already significant pressure on Borthwick, who is suffering a barren run of five straight Test losses after a disastrous Six Nations campaign saw England stoop to their lowest ever finish at the tournament.

England's game against Fiji precedes a trip to Argentina to face Los Pumas in Santiago del Estero in their third and final Nations Championship summer fixture.