England team vs Australia

[mike909]

https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/england-team-named-for-first-australia-test?utm_source=CRM220630ESAusTourPreMatch1Main&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CRM220630ESAusTourPreMatch1Main&utm_content=Summer%20Tour&spMailingID=20028783&spUserID=Njc0OTkwNzI0OTEzS0&spJobID=2017353219&spReportId=MjAxNzM1MzIxOQS2

No surprises in the starting 15 - I'd guess four starters away from a 6Ns team, a team that was lacklustre and failed to score. A lot depending upon Billy and Joe ball in hand and still no real pace selected. Looks like a back three (well Nowell and Steward) aimed at an aerial battle - and a lot on Farrell in terms of organisation.

If we're not solid at set piece and good at kicking for territory - it could be a long game....

15. Freddie Steward

14. Jack Nowell

13. Joe Marchant

12. Owen Farrell

11. Joe Cokanasiga

10. Marcus Smith

9. Danny Care

1. Ellis Genge

2. Jamie George

3. Will Stuart

4. Maro Itoje

5. Jonny Hill

6. Courtney Lawes (C)

7. Tom Curry

8. Billy Vunipola

Finishers

16. Luke Cowan-Dickie

17. Mako Vunipola

18. Joe Heyes

19. Ollie Chessum

20. Lewis Ludlam

21. Jack van Poortlviet

22. Guy Porter

23. Henry Arundell

[JonnyD]

Interesting Arundell is in there ahead of Freeman.
Really not sure why Porter is in there other than as a troll selection if he ever was actually available to play for Aus. Solid enough player and great versatility but is he really the first choice option we have on the 22 shirt in England.

Will be interesting to see how much freedom Care and Smith are allowed inside Farrell. Also still hoping I’ll get to see an actual 6 play for England again one day (in the 6 shirt, might I add)

[Peej]

Porter definitely qualified for Australia - he's lived there longer than the UK, but he is British as he was born here. But those back replacements don't inspire much confidence. As you say JD I'm not sure Porter is even outstanding Prem quality, let alone international.

Worrying at tighthead I think. And that back row is poor. No Jack, when he was the only player to really show anything against the BaaBaas, is stupid given Australia will be throwing Hooper into everything.

[mike909]

Agree with all that.

It appears a backrow picked for power and not competing at the tackle area. I'd love to see a 6 at 6 too.....if they get momentum and move us around, it could be a hard one...

[Shugs]

Agree with all of the above. A back three of Cockanasinga, Steward and Nowell - jeez that lacks pace. Lawes at 6. Why, just why. And Stuart has just spent a whole season being shoved backwards at TH. Australia aren’t too hot so we might get away with it.

[Robson9]

Seen a lot of posts online talking about Lawes playing 6 and being out of position.

 Begs the question how long do you need to play in a new position before it becomes your specialism- lawes has barely got any game time at lock for years. Not  just for england, but also for saints, where he starts week in week out as specialist 6. He started all 3 tests for the lions last year at 6. At what point would picking him at lock actually be the out of position selection?

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Same old same old.  Let's see if doing the same thing gives a different result this time.

[DGP Wasp]

Despite the shortcomings mentioned above, there are a few positives as well, which is more than I've been able to say of an Eddie selection for quite some time.

OK, Cockanasiga not the quickest, but he is at least a specialist winger.  Eddie's usual MO is to stick a centre there.
Finally we have a chance to see what Care and Smith can do together for England, and hopefully get the chance to play their way rather than having things dictated by Farrell.
Lawes an infinitely better choice as captain than Farrell.

[Andywasp50]

So after looking to build for the future and moving on, Eddie does what we all knew he would as the side goes backward to begin resembling the same one that lost the last world cup. Will Smith hang onto the 10 shirt? How long until Youngs is back at 9? What a waste of four years.

[Rossm]

So after looking to build for the future and moving on, Eddie does what we all knew he would as the side goes backward to begin resembling the same one that lost the last world cup. Will Smith hang onto the 10 shirt? How long until Youngs is back at 9? What a waste of four years.

Depressingly true, Andy.

[hopwood]

With the injuries we have, I’m not disappointed with the players he’s selected.
We don’t really have many 12’s to pick from…so Farrell was always going to start and interested to see how Porter gets on.
Arundell and JVP are exciting players, that could cause a whole host of problems as legs tire and the game breaks up in the last 20 minutes.

As for the starters, we always knew Eddie was going to put heavyweights in to try outmuscle and overpower any early Aussie momentum.
If they do their job, then spaces will develop in the second half of the game.
We haven’t seen how everyone has been training….so I’m going to hold off judgement until after the first game.

But it feels like they might be preparing for a game of thirds.
1) Parity, muscle and field position. Take any penalties.
2) Ascendancy and starting to use Smith to find to find holes as legs and minds tire a little.
3) Up the pace and punch through holes that start appear in the final 20 minutes. Score tries to take the game away.

I’m actually looking forward to the game.
But I’m not sure what my expectations for the Tour are at the moment.

[Rossm]

Wallabies: Banks; Kellaway, Ikitau, Kerevi, Koroibete; Cooper, White; Bell, Porecki, Alaalatoa, Swain, Neville, Leota, Hooper (capt), Valetini.

Replacements: Fainga'a, Sio, Slipper, Philip, Samu, Gordon, Lolesio, Petaia.

Is their Leota any relative?

[westwaleswasp]

The match is winnable. The past two years have been a dumpster fire, but this is winnable. It won't be pretty, it won't move us forward, but it is winnable. If we lose we move further back.

[WonkyWasp]

What  VV said.  First words that came into my head.  Same old same old.

[wasps]

Seen a lot of posts online talking about Lawes playing 6 and being out of position.

 Begs the question how long do you need to play in a new position before it becomes your specialism- lawes has barely got any game time at lock for years. Not  just for england, but also for saints, where he starts week in week out as specialist 6. He started all 3 tests for the lions last year at 6. At what point would picking him at lock actually be the out of position selection?

If you didn't play in a position when your were 12 years old, you'll always be seen as out of position