Bristol centre Luke Eves is 80 minutes away from a second successive IRB Junior World Championship final appearance after being picked for today's semi-final.

The 20-year-old England Under-20 vice-captain has kept his place for the last-four clash with South Africa in Tokyo.

England breezed into the semi-finals with pool-stage victories over Japan (43-0), Scotland (30-7) and Samoa (52-7), while South Africa saw off Fiji (36-10), Italy (65-3) and France (43-27).

England coach Mark Mapletoft said: "Everybody has had an opportunity to play and we feel that this side is the strongest one we can put out for this game.

"South Africa will pose us a massive physical challenge and their game is very strong at the moment if you look at the World Cup, the Sevens and Super 14. They have also been very successful in age-group World Cups in the time I have been involved.

"They have got good half-backs, they're big and strong in the front row and have lots of quality and good players.

"Even at 20-0 down in their last game against France, they didn't give up and ended up winning the game comfortably.

"We know we have stepped up and moved through the gears nicely.

"Now we've got to step up again and move it on another notch and it would be great to be able to do that against South Africa."

In the other semi-final, which also takes place today, Australia meet New Zealand.

England Under-20 team to face South Africa in the IRB Junior World Championship semi-final in Tokyo today: T Homer (London Irish); G Lowe (Harlequins), H Trinder (Gloucester), L Eves (Bristol), C Sharples (Gloucester); R Clegg (Newcastle), B Youngs (Leicester); B Moon (Exeter), J Clark (London Irish), B Baker (Wasps), G Kitchener (Worcester), J Gaskell (Sale), C Lawes (Northampton), C Clark (Leeds, capt), C Fearns (Sale). Reps: J George (Saracens), S Knight (Gloucester), D Williams (Gloucester), J Ovens (Bath), D Lewis (Gloucester), R Miller (Newcastle), J Cobden (Leicester).