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England captain Owen Farrell unavailable for Tonga tie after testing positive for COVID-19

England's Owen Farrell had been due to start at fly-half in the game against Tonga. Photo by Dan Mullan - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images

England captain Owen Farrell has been ruled out of their match against Tonga on Saturday after returning a positive COVID-19 test.

George Furbank will start at fly-half instead while Courtney Lawes will captain the side.

The Rugby Football Union said in a statement on Friday that Farrell would miss the Captain's Run training session ahead of the game due to the result. The news comes after an England staff member was placed into isolation on Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19.

Farrell has been placed in isolation.

Farrell is now a doubt for England's next match against Australia due to the mandatory 10-day quarantine period.

He was set to win his 100th test cap -- his 94th for England alongside six tests for the British & Irish Lions -- in what would have been only his fourth start at fly-half in his last 16 England games.

Jones had initially planned to use him at inside centre but after Smith, who made his debut in the summer at the end of a fantastic season for Premiership champions Harlequins, was unable to train fully, he said: "When you don't train, it's hard to run the team around the paddock."

Jones had delayed naming his team on Thursday after what was reported by the RFU as a positive test for an unnamed staff member.

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.