England v Australia
-
England squad announced with a few changes but not necessarily surprises.
England squad to face Australia:
Forwards: Charlie Ewels, Jamie George, Dylan Hartley, Alec Hepburn, Ted Hill, Nathan Hughes, Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes, Ben Moon, Brad Shields, Kyle Sinckler, Elliott Stooke, Sam Underhill, Harry Williams, Mark Wilson.
Backs: Chris Ashton, Joe Cokanasiga, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Piers Francis, Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Manu Tuilagi, Richard Wigglesworth, Ben Youngs.
Danny Care paying the price for a substantially below par performance against the Japs and not really a surprise. It's just a shame Robson has been injured as he offers something different at 9. Wigglesworth is not the answer IMO. Mercer and Lozowski also jettisoned with neither of them showing what they might have been picked for. Whether or not Mercer would have survived if Nathan Hughes was still suspended is unknown. Tuilagi in but that was always going to happen. It will be interesting to see how Eddie manages him back into the team. Starter or finisher?
-
@catogrande that's interesting, I drifted off in the second half but I thought Lozowski looked quite promising. Tough defender and seemed to have good feet. Different to much else for England at 12.
-
@bones He's been good for England when he's had a chance and has been playing well for Saracens, however he is behind Farrell in both squads and may have to move to make his mark. Against Japan I felt he didn't show the composure that was expected and perhaps tried to do too much with the limited ball he received. When Farrell came on at 12 he really took the sting out of the opposition and as much as anyone did, made the difference.
It is hard on Lozowski who had about five pieces of possession but he also missed that first up tackle to let the Jap 12 in for the first try, which was poor. He was good v Argentina on the 2017 tour but hasn't had the opportunity to cement his place. Maybe one for the future or maybe gone and forgotten.
-
Backs:
Elliot Daly, Chris Ashton, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs
Richard Wigglesworth, George Ford, Manu TuilagiShould be Nowell on the bench but Eddie can't help himself
May have got Ashton and May on wrong wings
-
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
Backs:
Elliot Daly, Chris Ashton, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs
Richard Wigglesworth, George Ford, Manu TuilagiShould be Nowell on the bench but Eddie can't help himself
May have got Ashton and May on wrong wings
??? Team not announced till Thursday? Source?
-
@catogrande said in England v Australia:
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
Backs:
Elliot Daly, Chris Ashton, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs
Richard Wigglesworth, George Ford, Manu TuilagiShould be Nowell on the bench but Eddie can't help himself
May have got Ashton and May on wrong wings
??? Team not announced till Thursday? Source?
:smiling_face_with_open_mouth_cold_sweat:
My guess
-
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
@catogrande said in England v Australia:
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
Backs:
Elliot Daly, Chris Ashton, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs
Richard Wigglesworth, George Ford, Manu TuilagiShould be Nowell on the bench but Eddie can't help himself
May have got Ashton and May on wrong wings
??? Team not announced till Thursday? Source?
:smiling_face_with_open_mouth_cold_sweat:
My guess
Well if we're going to play that game, my guess for the Wales v SA game is Cuthbert at inside centre. Gatland likes the big boys.
-
@catogrande said in England v Australia:
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
@catogrande said in England v Australia:
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
Backs:
Elliot Daly, Chris Ashton, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs
Richard Wigglesworth, George Ford, Manu TuilagiShould be Nowell on the bench but Eddie can't help himself
May have got Ashton and May on wrong wings
??? Team not announced till Thursday? Source?
:smiling_face_with_open_mouth_cold_sweat:
My guess
Well if we're going to play that game, my guess for the Wales v SA game is Cuthbert at inside centre. Gatland likes the big boys.
Can you see Eddie picking a different backline from mine?
-
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
@catogrande said in England v Australia:
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
@catogrande said in England v Australia:
@mikethesnow said in England v Australia:
Backs:
Elliot Daly, Chris Ashton, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs
Richard Wigglesworth, George Ford, Manu TuilagiShould be Nowell on the bench but Eddie can't help himself
May have got Ashton and May on wrong wings
??? Team not announced till Thursday? Source?
:smiling_face_with_open_mouth_cold_sweat:
My guess
Well if we're going to play that game, my guess for the Wales v SA game is Cuthbert at inside centre. Gatland likes the big boys.
Can you see Eddie picking a different backline from mine?
I wouldn't be altogether surprised to see a midfield of Ford, Farrell and Tuilagi. In any event as regards the backs it will be the midfield which will be taxing Eddie's mind. Farrell made a big difference on Saturday playing at 12 and Ford on the whole played OK. Neither T'eo or Slade has set the world alight so far ( not alone in that respect), so neither IMO can feel safe. Spoiled for choice on the wing, even more so once Watson comes back, but yes I would pick Ashton and May. I agree that Nowell needs to be in the mix as he can cover 15.
-
Suzie is on the staff of whichever London 4 star hotel the Wallabies have been staying in:
-
@sparky said in England v Australia:
Suzie is on the staff of whichever London 4 star hotel the Wallabies have been staying in:
Except....
"Israel Folau and Bernard Foley are still recovering from a stomach bug that cropped up at the end of last week," said an Australia spokesman.
-
On form, this should be a blood bath, and end what has just been a horror year (3 years) for the Wallabies on another down note.
-
-
@nepia I have seen him being run down before, don't think he has ever had the top end pace that other top class wingers have, as he has always relied on his acceleration, step and leap. Tho seemed very pedestrian on that one, so might have had something to do with the bug too.
-
Jack Nowell out now. Hammy damaged in training. (Common theme, training injuries). Likely see Cokanasiga step up. Left field alternative, Brown to come back at 15 with Daley reverting to the wing. Depth getting tested now.
-
TBF wing is one area that we can take a few injuries without too much of a drop off. Big opportunity for Cokanasiga, who'll surely come in.
Daly also needs a performance at FB. Hasn't really looked at home there yet. Far less depth there and Brown would look a good shout to come back in for the 6N unless he really nails it down. I'd actually rather see him at 13 than Slade, but Eddie's shown very little inclination on that front.
-
England starting XV:
15 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 24 caps), 14. Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 1 cap), 13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 16 caps), 12. Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, 15 caps), 11. Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 39 caps), 10. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 64 caps) co-captain, 9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 79 caps),
1 Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs, 3 caps), 2. Jamie George (Saracens, 31 caps), 3. Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 16 caps), 4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 25 caps), 5. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 67 caps), 6. Brad Shields (Wasps, 4 caps), 7. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 8 caps), 8. Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, 7 caps).Finishers:
16 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 96 caps) co-captain, 17. Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs, 5 caps), 18. Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs, 14 caps), 19. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 9 caps), 20. Nathan Hughes (Wasps, 17 caps), 21. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 32 caps), 22. George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 50 caps), 23. Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 26 caps). -
@stargazer Given injury, form and availability I'm quite pleased with that run on side. The bench slightly less so. Wigglesworth is there as Hobson's choice now that Care is out of favour but with Tuilagi there we really have no cover at wing or FB.
