England after final flourish
ENGLAND’S clash with Australia at Twickenham today may be a preview of their World Cup pool fixture in just under a year’s time, but there will be an immediate benefit to the winners of both sides’ final Test of the year.
November has seen England’s Twickenham “fortress” conquered by both world champions, New Zealand (24-21) and South Africa (31-28).
Australia, adjusting to life under new coach Michael Cheika following the shock resignation of Ewen McKenzie in the fall-out from the Kurtley Beale text pic scandal, have enjoyed a win over Wales – the third heavyweight in the 2015 World Cup “group of death” – this month.
However, they too have since been on the wrong end of a pair of narrow defeats against top-flight opposition, losing to both France (29-26) and Ireland (26-23).
“We won’t be looking at it like it will set us up for the World Cup,” said Australia captain Michael Hooper. “We will be playing the English there [Twickenham] again next year, but we’re not calling it a trial match or anything like that.”
On paper, today’s match is shaping up into a contest between England’s tight five forwards and the Wallabies’ backs.
Behind the scrum – which England forwards coach Graham Rowntree insisted was not a Wallaby weakness despite some notable problems – Australia will field a settled nine-10-12 combination of Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley and Matt Toomua.
The trio ripped through Ireland’s defence on occasion last weekend and Hooper will look to boss the breakdown against an England back-row trio led by opposing skipper and rival flanker Chris Robshaw.
He was in no doubt about his inside backs’ quality.
“We were very strong in midfield in Dublin, we are on the up even though we lost,” he said.
By contrast, England’s backs remain a work in progress with flyhalf George Ford, given a first Test start in last week’s 28-9 win over second-tier Samoa, now handed a chance to direct operations against stronger opposition by coach Stuart Lancaster.
“Managing a game like this is a big thing to put on George’s shoulders,” Lancaster said. “We know what a talent he is and this will test him at the next level.”
Owen Farrell, primarily a flyhalf, was at inside centre against the Pacific Islanders but did not look especially comfortable.
Now Lancaster has dropped Farrell, son of England backs coach Andy Farrell, to the bench with centre specialist Billy Twelvetrees recalled.
“With a relatively new 10, and a 12 that’s been there a while, it’s a channel that you’ve got to be strong down, and for us this weekend we’ll be looking to go there,” Hooper said.
Twelvetrees last wore the No 12 shirt against the All Blacks in Dunedin in June. Things went well until a stray pass led to a try for New Zealand’s Ben Smith, which proved a turning point.
While a new pairing at Test level, Bath’s Ford and Gloucester’s Twelvetrees played together at Leicester.
Lancaster has made two more changes to his starting side, with the Northampton duo of flanker Tom Wood and hooker Dylan Hartley restored in place of James Haskell and Rob Webber respectively.
Cheika too has altered his lineup, recalling flanker Sean McMahon and bringing in wing Rob Horne into a reshuffled back division without centre Tevita Kuridrani because of injury.
The Wallabies plan to wear black armbands at Twickenham in memory of Australia cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died on Thursday after being struck by a bouncer while batting during a domestic match on Tuesday.
“It’s the kind of news you never want to wake up to ... for us as a team it’s a pretty sombre mood,” Hooper said. — AFP