Eddie Jones' 47-stone England 10-12-13 echoes 2015 Lancaster selections
England have dropped George Ford in order to beef up their 10-12-13 channel in expectation of a Samu Kerevi-led assault from Australia when the rivals clash in Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final.
In a shock selection by Eddie Jones, Ford loses the fly-half duties to captain Owen Farrell with Manu Tuilagi and Henry Slade paired together in the centres.
Ford has been superb since his restoration as ringmaster during the warm-up series for Japan 2019 and started all three group games in the position, but he is confined to a bench role for the Oita Stadium showdown.
Instead, Farrell will act as chief conductor as Eddie Jones reverts to his first-choice midfield for the Six Nations.
The decision has shades of the World Cup four years ago when Ford was axed for the pivotal group game against Wales in favour of Farrell, who on that occasion formed a heavyweight trio alongside Sam Burgess and Brad Barrett.
Back then it was the ball-carrying threat of Jamie Roberts that shaped Stuart Lancaster’s thinking, now it is Kerevi’s tackle-busting brilliance over the last 18 months that has influenced Jones.
“We just feel this is our best combination for this week. Kerevi is a damaging ball carrier and defensively we feel like it’s a pretty strong 10-12-13 combination,” Jones said.
“We know Australia are a high possession and high phase team. That’s how they want to play and so there’s going to be a lot of defending in the midfield area.
“We think those three guys are well equipped to handle it. We need to defend with brutality.
“We believe we’ve got the defensive capabilities to handle them and cause them a few problems. George is disappointed but he knows he’s got an important role in the team.”
Jones has acted conservatively by dropping the in-form Ford and giving Slade his first start since June 1, when Exeter lost to Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership final.
Knee ligament damage prevented him from playing in the four warm-up Tests and he has been limited to 40 minutes in this World Cup after his comeback against Tonga was ended by a recurrence of the same injury.
When asked about how he will respond to Jones’ call to be “brutal” in defence, Slade said: “My job comes into it as an outside back, making good decisions.
“You can’t be brutal and lose your head, so it’s about being physical and brutal and making those good decisions.
“It’s really nice to have that vote of confidence from Eddie by starting this game. Having had a fair run in the last couple of years in the shirt and potentially what I have done has put me in good stead.”
Jones has made three changes in personnel and two positional switches in pursuit of a semi-final against either New Zealand or Ireland.
Mako Vunipola is restored at loosehead prop after successfully making his latest comeback from a hamstring injury against Argentina, England’s last outing after their Pool C finale against France was cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis.
Vunipola’s return means Joe Marler drops down to the bench where he joins second row George Kruis, who has lost his place in the starting XV to Courtney Lawes.
The two positional switches are Farrell’s shift to fly-half and Tuilagi’s move from outside to inside centre.
Billy Vunipola has recovered from the ankle injury sustained against Argentina nearly two weeks ago after proving his fitness in training on Wednesday, enabling him to continue at number eight.
Jonny May, who averages a try every two games, wins his 50th cap on the left wing six years after making his debut against Argentina.
“It’s a great achievement and an honour for Jonny and his family. Everyone in the team is really pleased for him,” Jones said.
“I think this World Cup has really shown how hard he has worked at his game. He has come back from a significant knee injury to be close to the fastest winger, if not the fastest winger in the world, and has the ability to score tries from any situation.”
England enter the last-eight clash as odds-on favourites to advance further into the tournament and boast a record of six successive victories against the Wallabies under Jones.
Their last defeat came in the World Cup four years ago when a comprehensive loss at Twickenham knocked them out of the competition they were hosting.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments