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England make three changes to their starting team to face Japan
England have made three changes to their starting team following last weekend’s opening round Rugby World Cup win over Argentina – with Lewis Ludlam, Joe Marler and Kyle Sinckler all included in their pack to face Japan in Nice on Sunday night.
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The English secured an unexpectedly comfortable 27-10 victory in Marseille despite losing Tom Curry to a third-minute red card.
With the openside now banned for three games, a sanction that will be reduced to two once he successfully comes through tackle school, Borthwick has addressed the back row vacancy by promoting Ludlam for a first-ever start in the No8 role and shifting Ben Earl into the flanker position left vacant by Curry.
There had been speculation that specialist No8 Billy Vunipola would come straight back into the starting team following the expiry of his recent ban. He was red-carded on August 19 in Dublin versus Ireland, a sending-off that was punished by a three-game ban cut to two via tackle school.
However, he has had to settle for a place on the bench in the south of France as Borthwick instead opted to elevate Ludlam following his incredibly energetic cameo last weekend versus the Pumas where he put in 11 tackles in his 14-minute appearance as a sub for skipper Courtney Lawes.
England’s other two XV changes are in the front row where Joe Marler has exchanged roles with Ellis Genge at loosehead while Kyle Sinckler, who is now fully over his recent injury issues, will start at tighthead. Dan Cole is excluded from the match day 23 as Will Stuart will continue to provide the bench back-up for that position.
Borthwick has named the exact same backline that started versus Argentina and the only tweak amongst his backline replacements is the naming of Ben Youngs as the reserve scrum-half on this occasion instead of Danny Care.
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The alterations mean that 26 of the 33-strong England squad at the tournament have now been named in at least one matchday squad.
The three backs still yet to feature at the finals are Henry Arundell, the suspended skipper Owen Farrell and Max Malins. The four forwards yet to be involved are David Ribbans, Bevan Rodd, Jack Walker and Jack Willis.
Borthwick said: “It was pleasing and important that we were able to start our Rugby World Cup campaign with a good win against Argentina last Saturday. It was incredible to see so many of our supporters in the stadium in Marseille.
“Their support means a great deal to the team. We hope that we were able to provide the supporters both here in France and at home with some great memories, and we are setting out to do the same again this Sunday in Nice.
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“After another good week’s preparation in Le Touquet, we are looking forward to the challenge of playing a Japan side that will be full of confidence following their comprehensive win over Chile in their opening fixture of the competition.”
England (versus Japan, Sunday – 9pm local time/8pm BST)
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 27 caps)
14. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 74 caps)
13. Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 20 caps)
12. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 54 caps)
11. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 60 caps)
10. George Ford – vice-captain (Sale Sharks, 86 caps)
9. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 7 caps)
1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 83 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 80 caps)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 63 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 71 caps)
5. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes – captain (Northampton Saints, 101 caps)
7. Ben Earl (Saracens, 19 caps)
8. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 22 caps)
Replacements:
16. Theo Dan (Saracens, 4 caps)
17. Ellis Genge – vice-captain (Bristol Bears, 53 caps)
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 30 caps)
19. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
20. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 70 caps)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 124 caps)
22. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 25 caps)
23. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 15 caps)
Comments on RugbyPass
You have got to consider that if the situation was flipped and the French were held to a salary cap with no English equivalent, the English would laugh in their faces and tell them to get over it. As for Leinster (as a fan), the central contract system is a dream but is guilty of cutting out the other 3 provinces. At the end of the day, it comes across outside of the English border that the Premiership is drowning and trying to take everyone else with it rather than adapt. The English lose, the English want new rules. We've seen this repeat (and once it even led to the current Champions Cup) You make many good and informed points, but if the flip was on the other flop, it wouldn't be Rugby’s problem I suspect - it would be a French one.
13 Go to commentsSeems to have been a bright start but it tailed off. To win the big matches you have to get used to putting your foot on the throttle and your opponent’s necks in an 80 minutes performance which is what the All Blacks were renowned for. An example in the Women’s game is England v Ireland in the 6N match played at Twickenham in April. Watch on YouTube.
1 Go to commentsBobby has been a first grade bonehead since high school. Like a true Cape Tonian, his own reflection is more important than anything else.
1 Go to commentsNo comment on the textbook red card for Ramm that was just ignored? Amazing that
4 Go to commentsThese rule changes have been implemented with good intentions, but much like every other rule change focus on isolated symptoms instead of the root cause. If you cannot croc roll, and cannot risk any head contact with a front on clear out, it is not clear how you are supposed to lawfully clear someone out who is attempting a jackal. This will backfire massively and lead to substantially more kicking. Teams will simply not want to take the ball into contact. Or it will lead to even more dangerous methods to clear players out who are over the ball. I much prefer having the set piece on a 30 second shot clock over no scrum on a short arm infringement. Resets are not a problem in themselves, but 90 second water and tactics breaks before every scrum are a big problem. Trainers constantly coming on to the field to help players pull their socks up and delaying the game are a problem. DuPont law was a blight on the game and should have been changed the day after it was first implemented.
79 Go to commentsAh yes, the opinion of Andy Goode… Andy Goode, the man who knows what some of the Irish players said to Eben Etzebeth after the QF, better than what Eben himself knows. And, judging by this piece, the Grandmaster of clichés.
4 Go to commentsI think this is a fair view. As a South African I am concerned about the depowering of the scrum but let’s be honest, until the SA vs FRA quarter many people didn’t even know you could take a scrum from a free kick. As you say it’s going to come down to interpretation… until then we don’t really know how this is going to impact the game. That would lead to my own objection. Do the unknowns of changing a law outweigh the cons of said law. With such an obscure law that most people had never heard of, one that had never really had an impact on the game in the first place is it worth changing to invite so much uncertainty. Better the devil you know then the devil you don’t as it were…
4 Go to comments162 comments so far and counting. i didn't realize that rugby fans are on the way to join the football brothers. what is the point to share personal opinion only to get all this shi*? it seems IRB bosses are doing the great job by killing the spirit of the game both on and outside the pitch. too sad, indeed. btw, was there anything on eben’s point of view from the boys in green, who he mentioned?
164 Go to commentsJob done guys. Great win in a game where things can quickly go wrong.
1 Go to commentsAlex Sanderson fantastic coach and person .So pleased he has signed another contract great days ahead for Sale under his leadership.
1 Go to commentsAndy Goode cant kick to 12
164 Go to commentsDoxed himself. Great work Johnny. You are well suited to the Saders
1 Go to comments_Best game players _
1 Go to commentsWho's Jarrad Hohepa?
1 Go to commentsSo let me get this straight. Say you have the dominant scrum. You are 99% sure you can go for a scrum pushover try on the line to win the game. The opposition knows it too. They give away a silly tap kick instead. You are now not allowed to scrum. This is ridiculous! *%@ing the game up as usual! The fact that the attacking teams are not allowed to scrum from a held up over the line is just as ridiculous. Really world rugby? Careful people might start a rebel league called True Rugby or Real Rugby.
79 Go to comments12 subs during a game? How has that been allowed to happen NB? I hate when the game goes in this monopolistic direction closing up shop, it just becomes non sport. Btw have you seen anything of how Liam Coltman was tracking for Lyon? He has just signed to return to Otago though we have a couple of young hookers developing here. He was a popular gentle natured character down here and I’m glad to see him back but maybe he will be a mentor primarily?
13 Go to commentsGreat breakdown and the global politics always confuses me a little. The southern hemisphere seems to be left out a bit but I wouldn’t even know where to start with fixing it. Club challenge could be a step in the right direction
13 Go to commentsSince he coached Free state, from that time onwards, I maintained he was the coach for the Boks. A nice, no nonsense guy with an excellent brain, who gets results.
11 Go to commentswell - they only played against 14 men and had the TMO team on their side - and still should have lost… so actually that makes sense.
35 Go to commentsSouthern hemisphere Rugby is exactly that, boring. Northern Hemisphere Rugby is soooo much more entertaining and better with better players.
2 Go to comments