Marcus Smith has been recalled at fullback as one of seven changes to England's starting 15 for Saturday's Autumn Nations Series rugby international against Fiji at Twickenham.
Smith, primarily a fly-half was left out of the matchday 23 entirely as England launched their November campaign with a 25-7 win at home to Australia last weekend.
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George Ford started at fly-half against the Wallabies, with Fin Smith providing fly-half cover off the bench.
But with full-back Freddie Steward struggling with a hand injury suffered against Australia, Harlequins playmaker Marcus Smith is now back in the team wearing the No 15 shirt, with Fin Smith starting at fly-half.
Ellis Genge will lead the team as one of two co-captains, the second being regular skipper Maro Itoje who is named on the bench for the first time since 2017.
Only six players who started against Australia -- England's eighth win in a row -- are in the same positions this weekend, with Tommy Freeman moving to the wing from centre following Tom Roebuck's ankle injury and No 8 Ben Earl now at openside flanker.
Earl's back-row switch means Chandler Cunningham-South makes his first Test start at No eight as England coach Steve Borthwick looks to build positional depth ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia following Tom Willis's decision to leave England to join French side Bordeaux-Begles next season.
Ollie Lawrence returns to Test duty after recovering from the ruptured Achilles tendon that ruled him out of the victorious British and Irish Lions tour of Australia and will now partner Fraser Dingwall in midfield.
Ford is omitted from the matchday 23 as Borthwick continues with a six-two split between forwards and backs on the bench, with Ben Spencer and Henry Arundell providing back-line cover and Henry Pollock, who came off the bench to score a key try against Australia, retained in his 'super-sub' position.
"It was a pleasing start to the series against Australia last weekend and we know we’ll need to take another step forward against Fiji," Borthwick said.
"The focus for us this week is on improving on last weekend's performance and continuing to develop our game."
England beat Fiji 30-24 in a tense 2023 World Cup quarter-final in Marseille, having lost to the Pacific islanders for the first time just weeks earlier in a pre-tournament warm-up game at Twickenham.
"Fiji are a dangerous team with power and quality right across the pitch," added former England captain Borthwick. "They play with physicality and skill, so we’ll need to bring intensity, accuracy and discipline in everything that we do."
Later Thursday, Fiji named a side featuring several players with experience of English Prem club rugby.
The Bristol duo of Viliame Mata and Kalaveti Ravouvou, Northampton second row Temo Mayanavanua and Saracens prop Eroni Mawi were all in the starting XV.
Meanwhile, Caleb Muntz, who guided Fiji to their upset win at Twickenham in 2023, was in at fly-half with powerful Racing 92 centre Josua Tuisova bolstering the midfield.
"We've trained really well and at pace," said Fiji coach Mick Byrne.
"We had a couple of live blocks in there and the boys really got stuck into each other. They're ready to play."
England (15-1): Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Earl, Guy Pepper; Ollie Chessum, Alex Coles; Joe Heyes, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge (co-capt)
Replacements: Jamie George, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Maro Itoje (co-capt), Tom Curry, Henry Pollock, Ben Spencer, Henry Arundell
Fiji (15-1) Salesi Rayasi; Selestino Ravutaumada, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Josua Tuisova, Jiuta Wainiqolo; Caleb Muntz, Simi Kuruvoli; Viliame Mata, Elia Canakaivata, Kitione Salawa; Temo Mayanavanua, Isoa Nasilasila; Mesake Doge, Tevita Ikanivere, Eroni Mawi
Replacements: Zuriel Togiatama, Hereiti Hetet, Samuela Tawake, Mesake Vocevoce, Motikai Murray, Sam Wye, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, Sireli Maqala
