Stuart Lancaster has made three changes to the England side to take on Australia this weekend, from the one that defeated Samoa.
Billy Twelvetrees gets his first start of the autumn after impressing off the bench last weekend, taking the place of Owen Farrell, who drops to the bench, at inside centre.
In the pack, Dylan Hartley returns to the hooker berth in place of Rob Webber and his Northampton teammate Tom Wood comes back in for James Haskell, who is on the bench, on the blindside. Otherwise it’s as you were from the team that beat Samoa 28-9.
Lancaster said: “It’s good to be able to give Billy his first start of the series. He took on board the feedback we gave him when he first came into camp and he has worked hard both with us and at Gloucester and deserves his chance. Owen is a key part of our squad and will offer a huge amount from the bench.
Video credit: Rugby Media
“The Samoa game gave us the opportunity to give James and Rob a start and they made a good contribution. Tom and Dylan were disappointed not to be in the XV against Samoa.
“They are desperate to go out and perform on Saturday to help us finish the series on a high.”
England team to play Australia:
15. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 32 caps)
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 3 caps)
13. Brad Barritt (Saracens, 21 caps)
12. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 15 caps)
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 10 caps)
10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 5 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 41 caps)
1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 25 caps)
2. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 60 caps)
3. David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 40 caps)
4. Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 15 caps)
5. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 35 caps)
6. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 33 caps
7. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 31 caps, captain)
8. Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 26 caps)
Replacements
16. Rob Webber (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
17. Matt Mullan (Wasps, 8 caps)
18. Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons, 5 caps)
19. George Kruis (Saracens, 3 caps)
20. James Haskell (Wasps, 52 caps)
21. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 15 caps
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 28 caps
23. Marland Yarde (Harlequins, 6 caps)
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
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No surprises, really, given the 23. It’s a decent side (and a great pack), apart from the usual question marks over the centres.
I think the Team will play better without Farrell. Twelvetrees is an underrated player and I hope he will perform well. This team should take down the Wallabies
Hmmm. Getting there. As with I think everyone else, I would prefer not to have Barritt at 13. But I would love for him to prove me wrong. Personnaly I thing both Burrell and JJ are better options, and are both up to the physical challenges.
The rest of the team is much as expected/wanted?.
The forwards look good in set peices and defence. IT is a concern that only our 8 seems to make any meters. possibly that will accelerate Youngs back in at hooker. But that may impact the lineout. Really we should have a front row, second row and one or 2 backs rows who are able to make meters in the tight. The front row need to step up their game in that respect. Attwood and Lawes are also big lumps, so they should be making meters, ot just hitting and going down.
The back row? Wood and Robshaw have never been the hardest carriers (though Robshaw is always willing). But there have been a number of occasions when that has not been a problem. In Lancaster terms it must come down to consistency. They (being 1 to 8) need to play in this way every time, with the front 5 taking more carrying duties, and effectively. Or he has to change the back row so that we can consistently make yards in the tight.
Against New Zealand, Attwood made the most metres of any England player but May – so he is capable.
Almost all of which were in his one gallop which ended in him butchering a gilt edged chance. Not the hardest yards.
I’d have said any yards made by a lock against NZ are by definition hard yards
One reason I hate stats – yards made is so misleading. 1) The fullback nearly always tops the stat because he’s catching and running the ball back up to the first man. He could fail to beat that man every time and still have a great yards made stat. I’d like to see “yards made beyond the gainline” instead. 2) One phase of play, one screwy defence or missed tackle and all of a sudden a plodder is a hero as he has a chance to run the length of the field. Conversely a tackling machine with an eye for a great pass (or a scrumhalf) makes an anemic amount of yards in most matches. Stats schmats.
Metres made beyond the gain line. That is an excellent idea!
What’s done is done, my reservations aside, time to get behind the team.
It will be interesting to see how 12t performs outside a more attacking fly half. Hopefully that will free 12t up to play more as a secondary rather than primary playmaker.
Would also like to see improvements in the forwards too who have been far from perfect. Better breakdown work and fewer penalties please.
Still don’t feel very confident about a win though.
Feel more confident with Kuridrani out
All depends on how well we retain the ball. Need to hit the rucks hard and disrupt their possession, and absolutely not kick it to their backs in space (which is less likely without Farrell)
Top hole that man…..more champagne and caviar from the back of the £80k Range Rover at the Twickers West Car park…Must remember to wear the blazer and the old public school tie.
Hurrah …Hurrah…… we going to smash the oiks……
Play up Tomkinson …… play up man ……or we’ll let lose Greybridge’s School’s Leopard
Wonder if any Aussie’s had relatives in WWI or WWII?
They’ll just love the new England shirt with its VC emblems that of course belongs only to the English Rugby Team and no-one else..
Hello Enid. Still fighting your misguided class war I see.
Scrum and lineout should go England’s way. Aus tight 5 aren’t overly powerful ball in hand either, but I agree with others above who feel it is a concern for England going forward. Mako Vunipola and Tom Youngs when fit could bring a ball carrying impact, albeit most likely off the bench.
Back row simply have to step up, Hooper is very fast around the pitch, but isn’t actually that difficult to remove from rucks, the question will be whether the England pack can get there quick enough to remove him before conceding a penalty.
Loss of Kuridrani is a massive boost for England, he’s probably been their best player this season. AAC is a classy player, but I think Barritt will be able to shackle him.
I reckon England can get a lot of joy from turning the two wingers. England definitely have the advantage in terms of pace over them, and despite Folau’s AFL stint, his kicking game isn’t all that, but England need to put the ball into touch, not straight down his throat.
I still have nightmares about Toomua steamrollering 12T a year ago. He surely must be on his last chance now.
With reference to the heavy carriers, Brookes seems to be quite proficient in this area. Not sure about the “official stats” but he appeared very dynamic around the pitch on saturday.
So Webber and Haskell were just starters for the Samoa game. Personally I think both should feel hard done by. Haskell in particular bought more physicality to the 6 role than we’ve seen from Wood for some time. Aside from that I’m not disappointed or surprised by this selection. I hope 12T and Barritt can play well together and prove a lot of people wrong. I also hope that Wiggy gets a bit more time on the pitch this week. I still think he has something to offer in the 9 role, that we haven’t seen for some time. i.e. a 9 who makes a nuisance of himself around the fringes and kicks efficiently.
Bombed cited stamina as the reason Wood came in for Haskell. It’s going to be a fast-paced game, and he trusts Wood more for that reason.
Interesting, because I would have thought Haskell would be the better option even in that respect. Haskell proved last week against Samoa just how fast he is. Chasing back in defence to make a cracking tackle. Couldn’t see Wood getting back that quickly?
I assume they have the data to back it up (they do love their laptops). Probably it’s the ability to keep it up for the full 80, Haskell is more likely to replace Morgs than Wood.
Oh I’m sure they have all the statistics to prove they’re point. Just a shame they can’t watch what’s happening on the pitch to decide who should play.
You’re probably right about him replacing Morgan. If Wood and Robshaw play the way they have been when Bill V has been playing at 8, then Morgan will be knackered at the end of the first half.
I hope I’m wrong, and they all play their socks off, carry the ball, and destroy the gain line, but I just can’t see it happening. If Hooper breaks a tackle, or slips through a gap (as he often does around the rucks), would you trust Wood or Robshaw to have the pace to catch him and drag him down? Not sure I would. I guess that’s why Barritt is in, as the extra flanker!! ;-)
Dazza, I agree with you on the Haskell view. It is interesting that they have chosen Haskell for the bench as ordinarily they go with the spare No8 on the bench. I feel that Wood is more destructive than Haskell and I can see that they may feel they can target the Aussie breakdown better with Wood disrupting any quick ball they may hope for, and then Haskell coming on later with better ball carrying and more finesse at the breakdown.
By “finesse” I don’t mean to say that he lacks physicality, but i feel he can target the ball more constructively than Wood.
Wigglesworth – again, completely agree.
Blub, Haskell is the spare 6, 7 & 8 for this match. No Billy V, and no Waldrom (thank god) on the bench. I just think Haskell is a more dynamic player with ball in hand. Wood might be better at the breakdown, but isn’t that what Robshaw is for? I would like to see a more dynamic player at 6. This has been the problem when Billy V has played at 8. No-one else in the back row taking the ball up in attack. I suspect Morgan is going to get very tired this Saturday afternoon. Haskell could find himself on early!
Much as I want England to win and play well, I can’t help but feel we’re in for another dull trudging performance with no dynamics in the pack. Apart from Haskell last week, the only other forward whose carried the ball memorably is Attwood, and when he’s come on Kruis hasn’t done bad.
Which game were you watching? Haskell made precisely 0m from zero carries against Samoa.
You got your laptop out again? I think in general Haskell is a better ball carrier than Wood, and Moran and Billy V need an extra ball carrier in the back row. Wood is a good player, probably better than Robshaw in a lot of respects. I just wonder if we had either one or the other instead of both, would it improve our go forward ball?
Yes, in general he is. As a Bath supporter I can tell you Webber, Attwood and Wilson also like a carry. So why aren’t they doing it? Is it because they can’t make the step up, or are they actively being told not to?
I wonder the same thing. Is it something to do with the way Bomber wants the team to play? If so, it seems a little odd.
Yes Dazza, that is what Robshaw is for, but I believe that against Australia, who will hope to recycle the ball quickly all over the park, they want Wood in the same role.
To be honest, Attwood carries a lot for Bath, and for England Marler, Lawes and Hartley also have to step up here. Brookes also when he comes on.
Bath, in contrast, have five back-rowers in the 23 (if we believe in Burgess being a back-rower), 4 of whom are big ball carriers, and the fifth is a second row
Mike
I say, steady on, aren’t you beginning to sound like me (re Attwood)! You make sense tho.
Orthodox. Agree hard on Webber, Haskell. Can’t tell from 1 game, but team selected by coaches who really need a win. Again gone ‘D’ 1st with Barritt. What if he gets crocked? Farrell? Burrell or Eastmond would have made more sense. England must run @ Oz. Ford to kick quite a bit. Likely tight. Maybe ref’s call/s? Common dictates a home advantage win, but…?
PS Who the hell’s Mr Bronstein? Not the Charles Bronswotsit cop character who used to rough justice shoot loadsa film baddies is he?
I’m looking forward to this game as the inclusion of Ford means I can’t predict the phases from kick off. This is the type of game Ford can make his name in. Whatever happens I hope SL doesn’t ditch him and start the 6Ns with Farrel – that would be too Andy Robinsonesque. 12Ts – last chance saloon. I don’t watch the English Prem much so I’ve mostly seen him misfire in Euro tournaments or for England (I say mostly, I know he’s had the odd good moment, but “creative” he hasn’t been).
The bench looks soporific – Yarde, Farrel, Wigglesworth … England better hope they’re 15 points up before they need to sub any of the backline on.
Agree with you on 12T’s Brighty. A lot of people moaning about Barritt, but at least he’s consistent. 12T’s has blown hot and cold in all his England matches. Never sure what you’re going to get. And as far as as I know, he’s never played alongside Ford? It could be amazing, boring, or an absolute disaster defensively in the 10-12 channel. There’s just no predicting it?
For a neutral Dazza it’s the unpredictability of it that makes it exciting. As a fan though I can imagine it’s a bit too exciting sometimes.
Thanks Brighty, I appreciate the support…
I’ve been growing my fingernails especially!!
Hi Dazza, both players started their careers at Leicester Tigers so have plenty of experience playing and training together. Cockers ridiculous selection policy forced them to move. And Brighty, I will be absolutely devastated if we have to use any of our bench except for Yard. I bet Cipriani is fuming at someone terribly out of form being picked ahead of him.
I thought 12T had already left before Ford really came on the scene at Tigers. They may have played some A league games together, but I don’t think they ever played together at any level higher than that?
I’m so disenchanted by where the team is going recently. Every time we have a chance to look at creative players they are never given an opportunity. In almost can’t wait to see slamming Sam in the centre’s with manu now. But if we were going to have such massive ball carriers we would need Watson at full back and another lightning quick winger like yarde or wade taking his place. Brown doesn’t pass the ball enough. Those two passes from the last game must have been two of three he has made in his entire international career.
Our back row are pretty pathetic when it comes to ball carrying. Would love some sort of ashley johnson type to arrive that can smash some holes and cause some chaos.
And sorry, Lancaster did make Farrell look undropable and undermined his own professionalism by persevering with a player that’s so out of form and fitness. The whole point of having a squad is so we can breed strength in depth so we have options if someone isn’t firing on all cylinders.
Imagine what it must have been like for 12t, burrell and eastmond when an out of form and fitness fly half is chosen over three genuine inside centres for the 12 role. Pretty demoralising. And all the excuses about kicking and defense is a load of rubbish. Eastmond was just as tight in defence as Farrell was inside barritt. Farrell actually made a woeful attempted tackle where it resembled him slapping the guy on the chest.
I can’ see anything other than a boring mechanical laboured performabce by this team.Coaching is too full of stats and management speak.The Australian approach is so different and refreshing.Sadly we are likely to get a dull flat uninspired England that will depress us all
Well looking through my half full glass, I see a back three full of pace, with a clever passing 10 and 12, and a 9 who threatens the fringe defenders.
that is not intended to be a slight on Barritt, but I do think that his defence is very important to the team, and that if he is not the next Guscott/Horan/Sella (showing my age?) then thats OK if he has passers inside him and runners outside.
ps I would prefer Eastmond at 12, and love Burrells lines, but do worry about his defensive positions.
Why do I get the impression that all the contributors to this site all know each other?
Anyhoo,back to the rugby. I said that Hartley and Wood were shoe ins for this game.
Whenever Lancaster trots out the “he’s been showing a lot of promise and deserves his chance” line, the subtext is always “I don’t really trust you/think you are good enough,but I picked you so I’ll give you one run out just to look more flexible than I really am”.
Haskelll and Webber need games,particularly webber in order to ensure they are genuine deputies(if not actual starters) come the 6N.
Re the team? Pretty much what was expected. Lancaster has to settle on a midfield pairing though.
Tempus fugit Stuart!
Jimi
Yr last sentence is something I’ve apparently ‘regurgitated’ since Adam, but I can’t resist it. Spot on! And I didn’t mention the ‘C’ word.
Jimi
Yr 2nd blog is also spot on! The only criticism I have of yr comments is that you simply DON’T regurgitate them enough (joke). If I do, I get flack, black balled, sent to Coventry etc, but for me, have put yr finger on the REAL issues for England. Maybe it’s because I’m SH, &/or have a slack bedside manner, of repeat the ‘truth’ tooooo often… but it ain’t just me then. If I were English, I’d be as concerned as you are. My perception is that others don’t really take in these issues that England have, but maybe it’s just that, perception? But I agree with you. Glad you ‘said’ it tho.