Stuart Lancaster has named the same starting line-up to take on Italy at Twickenham this Saturday, keeping the faith with those who beat Wales in Cardiff in the opening round.
Luther Burrell and Jonathan Joseph continue their fledgling centre partnership, while Ben Youngs and George Ford will direct matters once again from the half-backs.
Video credit: Rugby Media
Looking ahead to the visit of the Azzurri, England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “It’s always good to be able to name an unchanged team and to build some consistency. We did the same last year after France heading into the Scotland game.
“Italy are going to be fired up. They always are when they come to Twickenham, especially after last week’s loss to Ireland. We know what’s coming at us but we have prepared well and are looking forward to getting back home to our fantastic supporters.”
ENGLAND TEAM TO PLAY ITALY:
15. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 34 caps)
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 5 caps)
13. Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
12. Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints, 8 caps)
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 12 caps)
10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 43 caps)
1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 27 caps)
2. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 62 caps)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 46 caps)
4. David Attwood (Bath Rugby, 17 caps)
5. George Kruis (Saracens, 5 caps)
6. James Haskell (Wasps, 54 caps)
7. Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins, 33 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 13 caps)
Replacements
16. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 18 caps)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 16 caps)
18. Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons, 7 caps)
19. Nick Easter (Harlequins, 48 caps)
20. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers, 38 caps)
21. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 17 caps)
22. Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 9 caps)
23. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 17 caps)
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
19 replies on “Six Nations 2015: England team announced to play Italy”
Personally with less of threat from Italy and points difference potentially important, I would have had Simpson for Wiggy and Wade for 12t. Happy with the same starting line up.
I wish SL could get over this belief that you never change a winning side and think a bit more tactically depending on the opposition. No point having such depth of resources if we don’t effectively utilise them.
Whilst I’m usually against pre planned subs, would love to see Cips get a run out too.
Agree with Benjit here. What does 12T offer from the bench against Italy? Admittedly he came on last week and did a great job, but against a tiring Italy defence (Ireland were all over them with 15-20 minutes to go) wouldn’t you want to bring on some guys who are going to cause real damage?
No complaints with the XV. As we have more than 2 fit locks in the squad I would prefer to have 3 featuring in the matchday squad.
Agree with the comments above, we lost a championship last year on points difference and we could have gone with a more attacking bench.
I do agree that with strength in depth a coach should choose a team for the opposition to some degree. However, with many of the combinations have only a handfull of games together, some only one, and most of the team farily inexperienced at international level, I think for now it is most important that they learn each others game and develop understanding and communication.
Consistency of selection is now vital for rwc with only the odd tweak here and there.Don’t drop anyone because of one bad game.
Benjit
Agree & disagree with you. Surely Lancaster had to stick with his incumbents, but he SHOULD also give, e.g., Cip a run out. If not now, when? Ford doesn’t carve teams like Cip. And if Ford too gets injured?!
I also like Wade. Give him the pill, esp v Italy & he’ll score.
And when’s Matt Mullan going to get a run out… and the ‘best prop in the world’, Corbs?
SL should rotate his team during games, esp his midfield, esp v teams like Italy, as much as he can, or he’ll risk taking some of them to the WC wearing napps!
I think SL has left it til the 11th hr because he doesn’t really know which style of game he wants his team to play or who, therefore, is likely to fit it; whatever it is.
Puts undue pressure on guys, like Eastmond, for instance.
You aren’t English are you…………….!
Teecee – he’s very kiwi!
I agree with a lot of comments, we should use the resources we have more effectively. It is pretty likely Italy will fade in last 20 and therefore wigs and 12T may be slightly less effective in exploiting that than say Simpson and wade. Is this an indication of SL being tactically less astute/too indecisive?
Stu
I believe so. IMO SL needs some outside advice/exp pronto from… say Nick Mallett for instance… altho from a selfish pt of view, I hope he doesn’t!
Agree too regds Simpson. Forgot to mention him this time.
What people have to rememeber is that SL doesn’t really care about the 6 nations this year. If we win it great but the key now is bedding in people to get them well oiled for the World Cup and so throwing in Wade and simpson just to try and score more points is well pointless! I personally agree, I’d far rather another 2nd but with (injury providing) the same core 23 starting every game than throwing people in to try and change the gameplan. That said would hope that within those games if the game is won or not close then he must make sure he tries different combinations.
SL is not my favourite martian by any means but come on. Isn’t chopping and changing one of the
gripes we’ve all been voicing? Just for once I am going to stick up for the man. Continuity of selection is essential particularly in the problem area of midfield.
I really cannot believe that some people on here are suggesting he picks yet another combination.
By the end of the 6N we will have a better idea as to the effectiveness of JJ and Burrell.Until then ,leave well alone! And don’t argue for JJ to be dropped if he doesn’t score a hat trick v Italy,or replicate his Harlem Globetrotters moment a la Wales.
I’m slowly getting used to the fact that SL is not an innovator. He stumbled on the team v Wales due to circumstance and has had the sense to stick with it for now. Then he highlights his inherent flaws by picking a dull bench,because it just will not have occurred to him to do anything else.
That is the type of person he is.
Just a shame that Cips may not get any game time this 6N but I did say that he was in the party as an appeasement. ( cue howls of derision )
I don’t think any coach gets as much stick as Lancaster does, even when he wins away at Wales! In what way is the england bench dull? I thought 12trees was outstanding when he came on last week, don’t know what they have him but that turnover he won sealed the game for us. Calls for him to be dropped would be fair enough if he was his normal plodding self but he wast, he looked very good.
Ford had a stormer but you want to see cips start? Why? If the game plan england are going with in the future is what we saw against Wales ie big pack dominating set piece and collisions, clever tactical kicking and backs who can run from broken play as well as from set moves then let’s perfect it in the six nations, continuing with Italy tomorrow. I’m glad some of the bloggers aren’t picking the england team.
I know. SL is damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t. I agree sometimes that he sticks with players beyond their sell by date, but lets also look at how quickly he assembled the core of this squad, populated with young, tough, players like Launchbury, Farrell (say what you like, he’s a great 2nd FH option, and how many other teams would kill for him at FH), Robshaw, Marler, Youngs, Burrell.
And he has discarded players – look at the first 6 nations squad.
He gets stick from every side, yet he is learning a huge ammount on the job. People forget that Henry took 2 goes at the WC before he won it, and Woodward had a ‘mare in 99, for all his pontifications now. The class of ’03 mostly seem to think theirs was a smooth progression to world domination. wasn;t the case.
Teecee
Well I’ve likely lived here longer than you!
Ben H
‘What people have to remember is that SL doesn’t really care about the 6 nations this year’.
Unless you personally know SL & he’s told you this, of all the bunkum I’ve seen on this site, surely this takes the bicky? With all the flack he’s been taking & his record, you cannot be serious? He NEEDS a good 6N not only for his & his team’s cred, but surely for their collective confidence going into, er, an imminent WC?!
Or is it me? Maybe you’re from Jonglers.
McMurphy
Regds Farrell. ‘…he’s a great 2nd FH option’. Really? Precisely why is he so gr8? Do list the reasons. Might be illuminating to know. Surely you’re having a giraffe concerning this ltd, 1 dime, slow off the mark, deep lying club player who tackles & kicks. Don’t think the AB’s would ‘kill’ for him.
Teecee
Think you’re right regds NOT chopping & changing. However, as so much has been made of injuries & Lanc’s ‘stumbling on to his combo’s, it could be prudent for him to ‘rotate’ his team in certain posi’s esp, as much as poss. Should have done so long ago IMO, but that’s hist now. I’m thinking fly1/2 (CIP!), centres, b/row & even the props like Mullan for instance. As prev mentioned elsewhere, I’d also give Simpson a run & Wade (with quick ball). It would help cover other potential injuries. The WC can be pretty unforgiving of rabbits thrown into deep end headlights.
McMurphy
It’s simplifying things a bit to state that ‘L is damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t’. He’s had 3 + yrs & his selection policy & tactical style or ‘vision’ are still unclear. However you’re right regds SCW. His former team fell apart almost immed after the 03 WC & he himself took the Lions to record defeat in 05. Henry did have 2 goes, but he DID win something. Besides every team likely needs a bit of luck, the rub of the green, things to run their way like ref’s calls, the bounce of the ball etc @ some pt in a comp like the WC..