Stuart Lancaster has named his team to play New Zealand on Saturday at Twickenham. Semesa Rokoduguni is primed to make his debut on the wing, partnering Jonny May and Mike Brown in the back three. Kyle Eastmond and Brad Barritt form a new centre partnership outside the familiar half-back pairing of Danny Care and Owen Farrell.
The pack mostly picks itself, with Dave Attwood getting a chance to start in the absence of Joe Launchbury. Chris Robshaw captains the side from the openside flank, while Billy Vunipola is preferred to Ben Morgan.
England team to play New Zealand:
15. Mike Brown
14. Semesa Rokoduguni
13. Brad Barritt
12. Kyle Eastmond
11. Jonny May
10. Owen Farrell
9. Danny Care
1. Joe Marler
2. Dylan Hartley
3. David Wilson
4. Courtney Lawes
5. Dave Attwood
6. Tom Wood
7. Chris Robshaw
8. Billy Vunipola
Replacements: 16. Rob Webber 17. Kieron Brookes 18. Matt Mullan 19. George Kruis 20. Ben Morgan 21. Ben Youngs 22. George Ford 23. Anthony Watson
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
19 replies on “Autumn Internationals 2014: England team to play New Zealand”
May? Again? Really?
Jonny May is an exceptional winger who can win matches with his sheer pace and agility, and I’m glad they picked him. Yes, the fact that he’s scored 0 tries in 7 test matches is shocking, and I did expect Yarde or, perhaps, Nowell to start ahead of him, but I worry about the growing bandwagon of haters (not saying you’re part of it) who want to write him off so soon in his international career. He hasn’t looked out of place with England, and I’m VERY (capitals prove it) confident that he will score some sensational tries if Lancaster and co. stick with him. Clearly they feel the same way.
And there we are.
Having watched the Glasgow v Bath rout Live a few things were fairly clear.
1) Rokoduguni is nullified when the midfield didn’t fire
2) Webber is a terrific impact sub, shored up the scrum and increased physicality on the field.
3) Atwood is less mobile around the field than launchbury
4) Bath’s tempo dropped significantly after the first quarter when Eastmond came off.
The biggest positives over the last two years I believe are that the international experience of big games has elevated the confidence and skillsets of almost all of the young players. Eastmond, patterson, yarde, mullan, george ford all took their chances in big games.
The support of a good coaching system is creating the sort of game we want from England that is going to pay off in the long term. The team sheet here shows a good balance of youth and experience. As long as we show some attacking rugby and strong defence, considering the injuries It will be positive. That said the momentum this team could create by beating the All Blacks before facing the other big two would be something to savor.
Having looked at this team, despite the fact the injury list is extensive, is it far from first choice?
I’d say it’s probably four players from first choice. Corbs for Marler, Cole for Wilson, Launch for Attwood and Tuilagi for Barritt. Wings I’m not sure, but really, it is much closer to first strength that the media seems to be saying. It’s the bench that looks weaker with all the injuries, particularly in the pack, but we certainly can not blame that come Saturday.
I agree, it’s not far off. The front five is shorn of a few first-choice players, and the people you mention are pretty important, but blaming injuries can not be an excuse.
Lancaster hasn’t had a great track record of using the bench effectively – let’s hope that isn’t a factor again, particularly with the relative inexperience to come on.
Does anyone want to have a go at predicting an England 23 assuming everyone is fit? I don’t think that it would be a case of simply swapping players in as obviously certain combinations work well and other issues such as the back row have to balance. If we forget form over the past few weeks I think my idea England team would be:
1.Corbs/Marler ) I know its not picking but confident in either.
2.Hartley
3.Wilson/Cole Havent seen Cole play for a while but he is a very solid player when fit
4.Launchberry
5.Lawes
6.Wood
7.Robshaw
8.Vunipola
9.Care
10.Ford
11.Yarde
12.Eastmond
13.Tuilagi
14. Rokoduguni
15.Brown
Bench: 16.Webber, 17.Vunipola (not to start but such an impact player),18 (Wilson/Cole), 19. Attwood. 20.Morgan 21.Youngs. 22. Cipriani. 23. Watson
On another not would love to see Ciprani at a stronger club, seeing him pull the strings in top level games would be a great gauge on his temperament.
It’s not hugely different is it, as per the comments above. Ford at 10 is the key change, and it will be interesting to see how he goes on Saturday – if Farrell is not match fit, he’ll definitely come on, and it’s a good opportunity to stake a claim for the starting berth next week.
Other than Farrell for Ford, Youngs for Webber and Haskell for Morgan – I’d have the exact same 23.
That XV is pretty close to the one on Saturday though, it is really the bench which may cause issues.
The only thing I was considering was using eastmond as a super sub. Seems a shame to waste Burrell or twelvetrees, both talented players
I just don’t see word class qualities from either of those players. Eastmond and Tuilagi excite and can do something completely different than others. Burgess will be similar to tuilagi but with a superior offload game.
For me Burrell gets in there first but Twelvetrees is way down the list.
A lot depends on form for me. 36 and Eastmond could easily swap at 12, and I don’t think 36 is out of it by a long way. Yarde, May, Roko and Wade could all potentially be in and out. Webber, Youngs and Hartley (the first two offer so much more in the loose, but Hartley is the man for lineouts). Backrow may be first choice for the coaching staff, but I’d love to see Haskell, Kvesic, Vunipola, especially with Corbs, Webber, Cole, Launch, Lawes. That would be a pack to truly own the breakdown area, and provide such good ball for the backs.
Ford and Cips should be fighting for 10 shirt in my mind.
At the moment I would edge Slade ahead of 36 for the 12 shirt.
I know it may be harsh on Farrell, who is improving, but I agree with DanD that it should be between Ford and Cips at 10. I think at heart SL is a cautious defensive coach and prefers the solid ability of Farrell over the more creative pair. I wonder how much ball will get wide with Farrell and Barritt in?
Still think to progress further England need to expand their game and the selection of Farrell prohibits that IMO. I wonder if SL feels he lacks attacking nous and asked Brian Ashton to come in to help?
I think the key thing is not getting the ball wide too quickly. Farrell and Barritt will keep it tight, and suck defenders in before going wide. We don’t want to get the ball out to the wingers straight away every time, because then we end up with the wingers having no room, and having to run sideways across the pitch.
The ball will get wide when it needs to, if it’s on. If it’s not on Barritt has the skill and awareness to run straight, take on defenders and hold the ball up to try and create the space put wide.
Maybe… I still think Barritt isn’t quite perceptive enough to make those decisions at 13. I do wonder tho if we won’t see a few times that Barritt defends 12 and its actually Eastmond looking to attack from 13.
Eastmond & Barritt sounds ok on paper, but hopefully it works out on the field. Don’t think it can be much worst than 12t & Tomkins.
Would have preferred Ford on 10 instead of Farrell but knew he would walk back in. Hope Ford gets given some time because Farrell is going to be rusty. Get the feeling when fords comes on we will see Farrell move to 12, which we will never see Eastmond and Ford on International stage.
Hopefully Farrell gives some ball to Eastmond unlike the time when 12t started last year against the wallabies and only touched it 4 times.
Team looks good,
considering the injuries this is about the team I would have picked.
2 concerns
1 – Front row, I like Wilson but the bath scrum has been dismantled on certain occasions this year. I would still pick him. Marler, again is playing a relatively weak Quins pack although he himself has played well from what I have seen, Other than that, the front row bench doesn’t look inspiring, mullen aside he has played well this year. We need 4 good props for the world cup, 5/6 considering injuries. I think we are far away from that.
2 – The midfield: everybody knows about this, I like the Barrit, Eastmond picks but there is a lack of power there, England like to hit the gain line with big runners. The only man I see in this back line that can break the tackle is Rokundunguni, he is going to have a busy day. On the other hand I would like to see the Egnland team use the hands and get to wide channels quicker, considering the lack of power in the middle. Should be interesting.
Agree about the lack of power in the backline- that’s why I thought we would see Nowell or Yarde on the other wing over May, they have a bit more muscle. Brown will need to be at his gain-line breaking best tomorrow!
However there is a LOT of pace in that backline between May, Roko, Eastmond and with Ford and Watson to come on. That offers a whole different side to our attacking game. Pace terrifies defenders more than muscle… Really really really hope May has a good game for England. Such a talented player. Think he needs to just get a try and then we will see a whole new side to him.