by Our Sports Desk

SAM BURGESS will make his England debut against France on Saturday with Stuart Lancaster insisting yesterday that he has earned his place in the team after proving himself on the training field.

Burgess has been picked at inside centre for the first of the three warm-up Tests leading into the home World Cup just 10 months after completing his high-profile cross-code move from rugby league.

The 26-year-old is only under consideration as a midfield option, not at blindside flanker where he played his best rugby for Bath last season, and starts between fly-half Owen Farrell and outside centre Henry Slade.

Burgess is in World Cup contention despite failing to convince in the number 12 jersey at club level but Lancaster insists the powerful Yorkshireman deserves his chance to argue his case for selection in the 31-man squad that must be named by August 31.

“We will see if Sam can translate what he’s done in training, which is clearly good otherwise I wouldn’t have taken this chance to look at him against France,” Lancaster said.

“I’m open-minded about what Sam can do.”