Joe joins club team-mates in England side to face the Aussies
THREE Wasps stars have been named in England’s starting line-up to face Australia at Twickenham tomorrow.
Elliot Daly once again appears on the wing rather than in his club position of outside centre, where he joins the pacy Anthony Watson and Jonny May in an exciting new-look back three.
Nathan Hughes was many people’s choice as man-of-the-match during last week’s dull win over Argentina. In the continued absence of Billy Vunipola through injury, the No.8 will have been one of the first names on Eddie Jones’ teamsheet.
And they are joined by black-andgold club captain Joe Launchbury, who is promoted from the bench to start alongside Northampton’s Courtney Lawes in the second row.
Jones’ fourth and final change recalls Saracens’ Owen Farrell, who was rested last week, to replace Henry Slade at inside centre.
Farrell will relieve George Ford of kicking duties and be reinstated as vice-captain.
Perhaps the main surprise is that Jones is only able to find room for Maro Itoje – one of the world’s standout forwards currently – on the bench, but despite this the former Japan supremo believes this is his optimum combination to take on the Wallabies.
“I have selected the strongest 23 to play Australia and we will have to be effective in everything we do this weekend to win,” Jones said.
“This is going to be a great challenge, as we know Australia have been in great form towards the end of their season.
“The players have had an extremely positive week. They have trained well and worked hard and we are all excited about going out on Saturday and playing well against a very good Australian side.”
Australia comfortably saw off Wales last week, with former Wasps full back Kurtley Beale very much to the fore.
However, recent history favours the hosts, who have won eight of the teams’ last ten meetings, including all four since Jones took over following the 2015 World Cup. Scrum power has been at the base of a number of these successes, as it was when an Andrew Sheridan-inspired England overcame the odds against the greenand-golds in the 2007 World Cup.
It may therefore just be that Mako Vunipola, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole hold the key to tomorrow’s clash.
England captain Hartley said the players were eager to put the Argentina match behind them.
“The attitude is to park that game, look forward and move on,” the 31-year-old said. “We want to improve and the attitude and intensity of the way we’ve prepared, we’ll take confidence from that. Competition is strong and everyone is chipping in. The key thing is winning and we want to improve off the back of that.”