England spring surprise as Farrell starts at 10
Australia gamble on teen Petaia
OITA, Japan, Oct 17, (RTRS): England coach Eddie Jones sprung a big surprise on Thursday by naming Owen Farrell to start at flyhalf in the World Cup quarter-final against Australia, benching George Ford and bringing in Henry Slade to join Manu Tuilagi in midfield.
Billy Vunipola has recovered from a twisted ankle and will start on Saturday, as will his brother Mako in the front row.
Courtney Lawes replaces George Kruis in the second row alongside Maro Itoje while Jonathan Joseph replaces the injured Jack Nowell on the bench.
Jones has long bounced Farrell between flyhalf and centre but appeared to have settled on playing him at 12 at the World Cup in Japan, where Ford has been one of England’s most impressive players operating at flyhalf.
However, by dropping Ford to the bench and giving Slade his first start of the tournament Jones appears to be seeking to combat Australia’s midfield power, particularly the threat of the dynamic Samu Kerevi.
“Australia are a clever team, they will have some specific attacking strategies to play against us so we need to have a great situational awareness,” Jones said.
“We need to defend with brutality and when we have the ball we need play on top of them.” Jones used the Ford/Farrell partnership for most of his first two years in charge but then began experimenting with the captain at 10, where he played through this year’s Six Nations.
The coach has consistently said he would be happy to shuffle that combination depending on the opposition and, having returned to Farrell at 12 in Japan, has shifted him back to 10 to deliver a tough-tackling backline barrier.
Part of his thinking has been influenced by the return to fitness of Tuilagi, whose powerful and evasive running he likes to utilise at 12, shifting him over from outside centre.
That has given Jones the option of bringing in Slade, who arrived at the World Cup battling a knee injury that ruled him out of all four of England’s warm-ups.
He came on as a late replacement in wins over Tonga and Argentina but has played only 40 minutes of international rugby since the Six Nations.
Ford, who has looked sharp in Japan, can consider himself unlucky to be left out but Jones will insist that as one of his “finishers” he will have a key role to play.
The return of Mako Vunipola in the front row is also a big boost as the prop makes his first tournament start having played just a few minutes since suffering a hamstring injury in May.
Jonny May will win his 50th cap in the match and Jones said the World Cup had shown how hard the winger had worked on his game.
“He has come back from a significant knee injury to be close to the fastest winger, if not the fastest winger, in the world, and has the ability to score tries from any situation,” he added.
England have won their last six matches against Australia since losing to them in the pool stage of the 2015 World Cup, a defeat that knocked the hosts out.
“Once you get to the quarter-finals it’s about having the right mindset,” Jones said. “We know how well we can play, it’s about us playing to our strengths and trying to take away from what Australia want.” The winners will play New Zealand or Ireland in the semifinals.
England Team: 15-Elliot Daly, 14-Anthony Watson, 13-Henry Slade, 12-Manu Tuilagi, 11-Jonny May, 10-Owen Farrell (captain), (captain), 9-Ben Youngs, 8-Billy Vunipola, 7-Sam Underhill, 6-Tom Curry, 5-Courtney Lawes, 4-Maro Itoje, 3-Kyle Sinckler, 2-Jamie George, 1-Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16-Luke CowanDickie, 17-Joe Marler, 18-Dan Cole, 19-George Kruis, 20-Lewis Ludlam, 21-Willi Heinz, 22-George Ford, 23-Jamie Joseph.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said he had no doubts at all about Jordan Petaia’s ability to rise to the occasion after selecting the teenager to play his first test at outside centre in Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal against England.
The 19-year-old, who made his test debut in the pool match against Uruguay, replaces James O’Connor to join Samu Kerevi in a centre partnership which will face off against England’s re-worked midfield of Manu Tuilagi and Henry Slade.
“We didn’t sit back and earmark this game for him to come and play at 13,” Cheika told reporters on Thursday.
“We just watched the games and made the assessments of each player as they went along and there were things that we liked ... and we felt that this would be a game that would suit him.
“I trust him infinitely and that’s why he’s been chosen.” Reece Hodge will play outside Petaia on the right wing after being recalled following his three-match ban for a high tackle in Australia’s opener against Fiji, bringing with him long-range kicking skills that could be crucial in a tight match.
Inside Kerevi for Saturday’s game at Oita Stadium will be flyhalf Christian Lealiifano and scrumhalf Will Genia after Cheika tinkered with his halfback partnership for the fifth time in five matches.
“We’re pretty lucky in those departments you know, good options, I think it’s been so tight the battle,” Cheika said.
“I wasn’t in a losing position no matter who I picked, I felt.” There was no tinkering in the back row, however, where the combination of opensides Michael Hooper and David Pocock on the side of the scrum will be complemented by the power of Isi Naisarani at number eight.
That combination can leave Australia short of lineout options but Cheika does have locks Adam Coleman and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto among the five forwards on the bench.
“We’ve been really pleased with the way all of our forwards are performing and there’s been a lot of consistency in that selection for what we think is our number one pack going into this game,” Cheika said.
“I don’t think we’ve had any doubts over that at all. The consistency in them will tell me that they’ll deliver again on Saturday.” Kurtley Beale will start at fullback having completed the concussion protocols after suffering a head knock in Australia’s final pool match against Georgia last Friday.
“I think we all know the unpredictability of game that Beale can bring,” said Cheika.
“Mate, he’s jumping out of his skin to go, you know. I was just watching the training now. I’m a big believer in Beale, I know what he can bring to the game.” Cheika has also given youth a chance on the bench with 23-year-old Taniela Tupou favoured over the experienced Sekope Kepu as back-up tighthead.
Scrumhalf Nic White and versatile backs O’Connor and Matt Toomua offer plenty of backline options off the bench.
Australia Team: 15-Kurtley Beale, 14-Reece Hodge, 13-Jordan Petaia, 12-Samu Kerevi, 11-Marika Koroibete, 10-Christian Lealiifano, 9-Will Genia, 8-Isi Naisarani, 7-Michael Hooper (captain), 6-David Pocock, 5-Rory Arnold, 4-Izack Rodda, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 2-Tolu Latu, 1-Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16-Jordan Uelese, 17-James Slipper, 18-Taniela Tupou, 19-Adam Coleman, 20-Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 21-Nic White, 22-Matt Toomua, 23-James O’Connor.