England are confident that Courtney Lawes is ready to face South Africa in tomorrow's QBE International at Twickenham following his recovery from concussion.
Lawes lasted just 23 minutes of last weekend's 24-21 defeat by New Zealand until a blow to the head - his second of the game - resulted in him failing the pitchside concussion assessment.
The 25-year-old completed the graduated return to play protocol this week and was cleared to take his place in the starting XV yesterday morning.
Seven days after being concussed against New Zealand, Lawes will hurl himself at South Africa as injury-hit England seek a first victory in the fixture under head coach Stuart Lancaster.
England's resources at lock have been stretched by autumn-ending injuries to Joe Launchbury, Geoff Parling and Ed Slater and they could ill-afford to lose another player in the position.
England (v South Africa, Twickenham, 2.30) M Brown (Harlequins); A Watson (Bath), B Barritt (Saracens), K Eastmond (Bath), J May (Gloucester); O Farrell (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath), D Attwood (Bath), C Lawes (Northampton), T Wood (Northampton), C Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), B Vunipola (Saracens).
Substitutes: R Webber (Bath), M Mullan (Wasps), K Brookes (Newcastle), G Kruis (Saracens), B Morgan (Gloucester), B Youngs (Leicester), G Ford (Bath), M Yarde (Harlequins).
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