England name team to face the Wallabies
England head coach Eddie Jones has named his matchday squad to play Australia in the second Test of the Old Mutual Wealth Series.
Jones has made four changes to the side that defeated Argentina 21-8 on Saturday.
Owen Farrell (Saracens) makes a return to the team for the first time this season in place of Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) at inside centre. Jonny May (Leicester Tigers) has been passed fit and will play on the right wing.
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby) moves to fullback after Mike Brown (Harlequins) was not considered for selection following his head injury last weekend.
The only change in the forward pack sees Joe Launchbury (Wasps) replace George Kruis (Saracens). The Wasps lock will partner Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) who is set to win his 60th cap for England.
1 – @anthonywatson_ will start his first game for @EnglandRugby at fullback, 39 of his 60 @premrugby starts have come at 15 though (65%). Familiar. pic.twitter.com/4GyOnDBX99
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) November 16, 2017
Maro Itoje (Saracens) is also called up in the matchday squad and is named as one of the finishers.
Eddie Jones said: “I have selected the strongest 23 to play Australia and we will have to be effective in everything we do this weekend to win. This is going to be a great challenge, as we know Australia have been in great form towards the end of their season.
“The players have had an extremely positive week. They have trained well and worked hard and we are all excited about going out on Saturday and playing well against a very good Australian side.”
England team to play Australia
Starting 15
15 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby 27 caps)
14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers 27 caps)
13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby 34 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens 52 caps)
11 Elliot Daly (Wasps 14 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers 38 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers 71 caps)
1 Mako Vunipola (Saracens 43 caps)
2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints 87 caps) captain
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers 75 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps 45 caps)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints 59 caps)
6 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins 57 caps)
7 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby 2 caps)
8 Nathan Hughes (Wasps 11 caps)
Finishers
16 Jamie George (Saracens 18 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins 51 caps)
18 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs 3 caps)
19 Maro Itoje (Saracens 12 caps)
20 Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs 1 cap)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins 74 caps)
22 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs 8 caps)
23 Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby 3 caps)
Comments on RugbyPass
Interesting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to comments