England announces team to play Barbarians

launchbury

England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster has named his England XV squad to face the Barbarians on Sunday at Twickenham.

The team will be captained by Northampton Saints scrum half Lee Dickson and will feature 10 players named in England’s initial World Cup training squad earlier this month in the starting line-up.

Joe Launchbury (Wasps) and Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers) will be seen for the first time in an England shirt this season after both recovering from long-term injuries.

The match also sees the return of the 38-Test international Mathew Tait (Leicester Tigers), who played in England’s Rugby World Cup final in 2007 and last featured for his country in 2010.

Jack Clifford (Harlequins), captain of the England U20 side that won the 2013 6 Nations and Junior World Championship, will start at open side flanker.

Lancaster said: “We’ve had a short but very good week in camp and the players have worked hard. I’ve been extremely happy with the way they have gone about their training and prep off the field. This is an exciting group of players who will be eager to impress in an England shirt with a number of guys having one eye on the World Cup in September. We know the Barbarians have a large number of experienced international guys and they will be ready for us having played Ireland last night. We are expecting a tough encounter.”

The match, which kicks off at 3pm on Sunday, is part of a double-header season finale at the home of England Rugby this weekend which will also see Bath Rugby play Saracens in the Premiership final on Saturday.

England XV to play Barbarians

15 Mathew Tait (Leicester Tigers)
14 Christian Wade (Wasps)
13 Elliot Daly (Wasps)
12 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
11 Marland Yarde Harlequins)
10 Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
9 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, capt)

1 Matt Mullan (Wasps)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
3 Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
5 Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
6 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
7 Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
8 Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks)

Replacements:

16 Tommy Taylor (Sale Sharks)
17 Alex Waller (Northampton Saints)
18 Gareth Denman (Northampton Saints)
19 James Gaskell (Wasps)
20 Jon Fisher (Northampton Saints)
21 Will Chudley (Exeter Chiefs)
22 Shane Geraghty (London Irish)
23 Alex Lewington (London Irish)

Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images

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2 comments on “England announces team to play Barbarians

  1. An exciting back line! Especially interested in seeing Slade play 12, between Cipriani and Daly.

  2. Back line has some serious pace, interested to see kicking strategy between 9 10 and 12. Also looking forward to seeing Beaumont, I think he looks a really good prospect.

    Welcome back Matthew tait!