Unconfirmed reports Becky was joining in in the press box...

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Twickenham

There’s a pitchside DJ here to get the crowd PUMPED.

He didn’t seem to have much impact but a few fans couldn’t resist singing along to Freed From Desire.

Image source, BBC Sport

So George Furbank makes a dramatic return as chief conductor after his three previous starts came at full-back, although he made a cameo appearance at fly-half against Canada in July.

“George has trained in that position for the last couple of weeks. He’s a very good option,” said England forwards coach Richard Cockerill.

“He’s played there before for his club. He’s a very talented player who has great instincts and I think he’ll take it in his stride.”

Eddie Jones had planned to start Marcus Smith at fly-half with Owen Farrell operating at inside centre in a dual playmaker partnership, but Smith was unable to train for most of the week because of a leg injury and Farrell has returned a positive Covid test.

The Harlequins sensation is deemed fit enough for a place on the bench, however, with George Furbank instead coming in at 10.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Twickenham

The stadium announcer is calling out the England team.

Fly-half George Furbank got a bit of a mixed response after his late promotion to the starting XV, but new captain Courtney Lawes got a big cheer.

Image source, Reuters

Flanker Courtney Lawes, who will captain the side today, senses this Autumn Nations Series opener against Tonga could be the start of a new era for England.

“It feels really exciting for me and there does feel like there’s something a bit different about it,” the veteran Lions and Northampton flanker said.

“At least since Eddie Jones has been there, we haven’t changed how we do things this drastically, and it seems to me like it’s really paying off.

“We’ve really got a good group that’s bought into the fact that if we want to go and win something in the near future and somewhat distant future, then we have to buy into being a team and play for each other.

“And that’s where we are headed. This is one stone on the path to get there.”

Eddie Jones is pleased his new leadership team all bring something different to the squad.

“They all bring something a bit different to the party. Tom Curry is a very tough, aggressive player,” said the England boss.

“Ellis Genge is the same but he’s also got a great set of human qualities. He had quite a tough up-bringing and he understands what young players go through.

“Courtney has had years of experience. He’s probably seen the best and the worst of English rugby and he can share those experiences with the players. And Owen is the best man for the job as captain.”

Image source, Getty Images

Courtney Lawes will captain the side today in the absence of Owen Farrell, after being installed as one of three vice-captains alongside Tom Curry and Ellis Genge, and as part of the leadership group he is helping to shape squad dynamics.

“It’s beginning to be a very player-led kind of environment. Not necessarily strategically – the coaches obviously have a big role strategically – but socially,” Lawes said.

“The fabric of the team is very much determined by the players and what the players want to do. And I think that’s really good.

“It’s obviously very new, we’re still building it and it does take time. With England time is limited, we have to adapt and maybe hurry things on a bit. But it’s going very well.

“Being able to run the team how you want gives the team more responsibility, makes them feel more part of the team. That just builds towards playing for each other.

“If you want to win something you need a team that’s going to want to go out there and put their bodies on the line for each other.”

Image source, Getty Images

Seven years ago, under the Eden Park lights, Malakai Fekitoa shared a brief touchline embrace with Ma'a Nonu.

With 20 minutes to go and the score level, the 22-year-old centre then trotted on make his Test debut against England.

This Saturday, but for a shoulder injury, Fekitoa could have made another Test debut. Again against England. Only this time for a different nation.

"I'm very sad that I won't be able to play," he said. "I was looking forward to it."

Fekitoa's first 24 Test caps were in the black of New Zealand. They came in World Cups, Bledisloe Cup encounters and British and Irish Lions series deciders.

But this weekend would have been his first for Tonga, the country he was born and raised in.

Read more from Mike Henson on Malakai Fekitoa here.

Tonga reinforced their team for the Autumn Nations Series clash with England by calling up players from the Premiership and Top 14.

The Pacific Islanders were overrun 60-14 by Scotland at Murrayfield but as that match fell outside the international window, they were unable to pick some of their more established names.

French clubs are most heavily represented in the pack where starts are given to Bordeaux prop Ben Tameifuna, Toulon flanker Lopeti Timani, Grenoble lock Tanginoa Halaifonua, Agen hooker Paula Ngauamo and Pau prop Sigfried Fisi’ihoi.

In the backs, Stade Francais full-back Telusa Veainu, Toulon scrum-half Sonatane Takulua and Bayonne centre Mailetoa Hingano are picked to take on Eddie Jones’ men.

Takulua captains the side while Worcester number eight Sione Vailanu is also present.

Tonga: T Veainu; W Fifita, M Hingano, A Taumoepeau, S Kata; Kurt Morath, S Takulua (capt); S Fisi’ihoi, P Ngauamo, B Tameifuna, H Fifita, T Halaifonua, L Timani, M Kafatolu, S Vailanu.

Replacements: S Maile, L Uhila, M Fia, S Funaki, O Havili, L Fukofuka, J Faiva, V Fine.

England boss Eddie Jones on Amazon: "Owen Farrell is fine, he is following Covid protocols. We only knew this morning, I can't give you an exact time but this morning we found out and had to change the team.

"We feel Marcus Smith is best coming off the bench for this game, he has had an interrupted preparation for this game and George Furbank will do a job for us.

"George is a very good full-back, he can play at 10 and has a nice feel for the game - he is a physical defender.

"Courtney Lawes is a very respected member of the team. He has good deputies in Genge and Curry, so they'll make sure he doesn't fall asleep. He is England captain today."

We have just heard there will be a 10-minute delay to kick-off because Tonga were caught in traffic getting to Twickenham this afternoon. So we're looking at 15:25 GMT.

England did not name their team until 82 minutes before kick-off to try and give Owen Farrell the maximum chance of taking part.

Captain Farrell tested positive for Covid during the week and his involvement was dependant on the outcome of further lateral flow and PCR tests.

All players and staff underwent a round of PCR testing on Thursday after a member of Eddie Jones’ backroom staff produced a positive result, but only Farrell came back as a confirmed case.

He had to isolate until England discovered the outcome of his latest batch of tests in the hope his sample was a false-positive and as a result missed the captain’s run at Twickenham on Friday.

But Farrell has not been named in Jones' squad and George Furbank comes into the side.

England: Freddie Steward; Adam Radwan, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May; George Furbank, Ben Youngs; Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Jonny Hill, Courtney Lawes, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry.

Replacements: Jamie Blamire, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, Charlie Ewels, Alex Dombrandt, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Mark Atkinson.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Twickenham

It almost feels a bit surreal having fans back at Twickenham.

Packed trains from Waterloo, having company again on the walk from the station to the ground... And it seemed like there was a lot more anticipation than usual surrounding the team's arrival at the stadium.

Hearing 82,000 sing the anthem will be special for those who made their debut in front of empty stands over the summer too.

Twickenham will open its doors to a full house for the first time since before the Covid pandemic took hold and rugby union was put on pause for five months.

The last time England were roared on by an 82,000 crowd was in March 2020, when they beat Wales 33-30.

It's Saturday afternoon, England are back at Twickenham and, more importantly, so are the fans.

One man who's not, however, is England captain Owen Farrell.

He misses out after a positive Covid test, but luckily for Owen and the rest of our BBC readers we'll have you covered throughout this Autumn Nations Series opener.

So get settled, grab a cuppa and enjoy what should be an entertaining clash.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images