1
England ring changes for Japan Test
England men’s head coach Eddie Jones has named his team to play Japan in their third November International at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.
ADVERTISEMENT
There are 11 changes to the starting XV which faced New Zealand last weekend with two positional switches.
George Ford (Leicester Tigers) will start at fly half and captain England in his 50th match.
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs) and Alex Lozowski (Saracens) are the centre pairing while Saturday’s try-scorer Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks) moves from right to left wing.
Bath wing Joe Cokanasiga will make his England debut while the uncapped apprentice Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors) is named as a finisher.
For the first time this series Danny Care (Harlequins) will start at scrum half with Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens) on the bench.
There are three changes to the front row with Exeter Chiefs’ props Alec Hepburn and Harry Williams starting alongside Saracens’ hooker Jamie George. England’s starting front three against New Zealand are named as finishers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Your England team, captained by @George_Fordy, to face Japan in the #QuilterInternationals on Saturday ?
Preview ? https://t.co/B5mMPoJxTU#ENGvJPN #CarryThemHome pic.twitter.com/FEchrfEjIB
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) November 15, 2018
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby) will start in the second row in place of the injured George Kruis (Saracens) and will partner Maro Itoje (Saracens) who is named as vice-captain.
In other changes to the forward pack, Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints) will play blindside flanker with Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons) switching from number 8 to openside flanker. Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby) will make his first start for England at number 8.
Eddie Jones said: “Japan is an important game for us as we want to get back to winning ways. We have also tested ourselves in having a shorter preparation. We gave the players two days off after three weeks of intensive work. We have had a short preparation but a good preparation.”
On the squad selected Jones added: “This weekend is a good opportunity for us to test the depth of the squad. A number of players have changed their roles going from finishers to starters and starters to finishers so that is the essential change to the squad. It is exciting to be able to give starting opportunities to Zach Mercer and Joe Cokanasiga and young Ted Hill on the bench.
ADVERTISEMENT
On Ford as captain, he said: “It’s a wonderful moment for him and his family. Fifty caps and captaining the side is a great honour and every game he plays for England he gives his absolute best.”
On Japan he added: “We are expecting plenty of energy, aggression and fast ball movement. They will be full of surprises, quick taps, lineouts and plays. They are going to have a bag of magic.”
Jones said on the Twickenham factor: “Last week the fans were absolutely exceptional in the atmosphere they created for the players. It was the best I have seen and we are looking forward to more of that on Saturday.”
Japan have won 11 of their last 17 matches in Europe, drawing one and losing five. Their last game on the continent saw them draw 23-23 with France last November.
This is only the second Test match between the two countries. The first was a Rugby World Cup match in 1987 with England beating Japan 60-7 in Sydney, Australia.
England starting XV
15 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 23 caps)
14 Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, uncapped)
13 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 28 caps)
12 Alex Lozowski (Saracens, 4 caps)
11 Chris Ashton (Sale Sharks, 41 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 49 caps) captain
9 Danny Care (Harlequins, 83 caps)
1 Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens, 30 caps)
3 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 13 caps)
4 Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 8 caps)
5 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 24 caps) vice-captain
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 66 caps)
7 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, 6 caps)
8 Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby, 1 cap)
Finishers
16 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 95 caps)
17 Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs, 2 caps)
18 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 15 caps)
19 Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors, uncapped)
20 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
21 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 31 caps)
22 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 63 caps)
23 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 15 caps)
Watch: England defence coach John Mitchell speaks to RugbyPass about his new role
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 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!
3 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 …
30 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
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments