Simmonds to start at six against All Blacks
EXETER Chiefs’ Sam Simmonds will start at blindside flanker for the first time in five years after England manager Eddie Jones sprung a selection surprise by naming two number eights in the back row for tomorrow’s headline clash of the autumn against New Zealand.
Simmonds and Billy Vunipola will offer Eddie Jones’ men explosive ball carrying options in a bold selection that was first seen when they were paired together at the end of last Saturday’s thumping victory over Japan.
Both players are specialist number eights, with Vunipola filling the position for his entire career and Simmonds’ last appearance at flanker coming in the Premiership five years ago.
Simmonds Chiefs teammate Jack Nowell has recovered from an abdominal injury to return to the right wing as Jones makes three changes in personnel and one positional switch to the side that crushed Japan 52-13, a result that nudged England’s autumn back on track having lost the opener against Argentina.
Vunipola’s return to the back row sees Maro Itoje shift from blindside flanker to lock – with Simmonds filling the vacant jersey at six – and Manu Tuilagi displaces Guy Porter at outside centre. Twenty-one-year-old Jack van Poortvliet starts at scrum-half ahead of veteran Ben Youngs.
Exeter Chiefs’ Henry Slade is named among the replacements.
Owen Farrell will become the third England player to reach 100 caps when he leads the team out at Twickenham.
“This fixture doesn’t come around too often and these are the games that players remember in their careers,” Jones said.
“New Zealand have had the upper hand over the years, but it’s been more balanced in recent times and the players have a chance to play their part in history.
“We’ve had a great week preparing for the game and the team is ready to go at them.”