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International

England change 11 starters and include non-RWC pick on their bench

By Liam Heagney

10 Aug 2023

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Steve Borthwick has made 11 changes to his England XV for this Saturday’s Summer Nations Series rematch with Wales in London, granting Ben Earl his first-ever Test start after 15 caps off the bench and including Elliot Daly, Joe Marler, Courtney Lawes and Billy Vunipola for their first international starts since the head coach took over from Eddie Jones last winter.

England were beaten 9-20 last weekend by the Welsh, failing to build on a 9-6 interval lead. They then confirmed on Monday their official squad of 33 for the Rugby World Cup but one of the 10 players who didn’t make the cut – Jonny Hill – is named on the bench for this Saturday’s Twickenham match.

Hill and fellow RWC omissions Jonny May and Guy Porter were back training with England on Tuesday despite not being included in the squad that will go to France, and the second row Hill will now provide Summer Nations Series bench cover this weekend as David Ribbans is unavailable due to his HIA last weekend in Wales.

The Bunker explained in rugby

The four repeat starters for this second warm-up outing are full-back Freddie Steward, outside centre Joe Marchant, tighthead Will Stuart and second row George Martin. Steward now has Henry Arundell and Elliot Daly as his supporting wingers, Ollie Lawrence will partner Marchant in the midfield while World Cup skipper Owen Farrell is paired with Jack van Poortvliet at half-back.

Marler and Jamie George join Stuart in the front row, Maro Itoje will partner Martin at lock, while the revamped back row consists of Lawes, Earl and Vunipola.

Team Form

Last 5 Games

Wins

Streak

Tries Scored

-24

Points Difference

-53

2/5

First Try

2/5

3/5

First Points

3/5

2/5

Race To 10 Points

2/5

Dan Cole, Jack Willis, Ben Youngs are the new names on the bench this weekend, with Ellis Genge – who will win his 5oth cap if he plays – and Malins dropping down from last weekend’s XV. Theo Dan, Hill and George Ford are the three repeat bench picks.

Regarding the bench selection of Hill, who missed out on World Cup selection, Borthwick explained: “Jonny has trained with us throughout the week and I am pleased to be able to name him in the match day 23. I have no doubt he will provide a big impact for us off the bench.”

England (vs Wales, Saturday – 5:30pm)
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
14. Henry Arundell (Racing 92, 7 caps)
13. Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 16 caps)
12. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
11. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)
10. Owen Farrell © (Saracens, 106 caps)
9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 13 caps)
1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)
5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)
7. Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps)

Replacements:
16. Theo Dan (Saracens, 1 cap)
17. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 49 caps)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)
19. Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 20 caps)
20. Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)
22. George Ford (Sale Sharks, 82 caps)
23. Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 19 caps)

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Comments

1 Comment

Mark 465 days ago

Glad to see Earl given a start, thoroughly deserved, and George Martin definately warrants another go.
Thank god Farrell is playing 10 and not 12.
No Tuilagi!! Assume he's injured.....again.
Borthwicks window of oppurtunity to field his 1st choice centre pairing prior to the WC looks to be ever narrowing.

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Comments on RugbyPass

DrinkAwayTheConcussion 43 minutes ago

Scott Robertson labels newest All Black 'the future'

Paddy T is playing the best footy of his career off the bench, and he’s a leader.

Straight swap: Paddy in for Scott, Scott to the bench.

But I’m loving Tuipolotu as an impact sub.

5 Go to comments

JW 46 minutes ago

Scott Robertson addresses Finau and Barrett injuries after France loss

Whats that team then? Are Clarke or Tele'a likely to come back? Proctor didn't return to the squad did he?

I'd like see the young fullbacks play fullback, and so Jordan cover on the wing instead. Even seeing Reiks on the other wing would be cool, Reece can go back on the bench if theres even room for him there.

So preferably it would be ALB and second five where he came of the bench in the weekend and was great. He's a bit slow on the play for outside center but looks like he might need to play there if we need wingers.

Cane really sounds like he'll bit fit, is he going to want to play? I'd really like to see Kirifi earn a cap if Lakai was the only 7 (Ardie has to be all used up/finished for the year). Which young lock are we going to see come in?

No team lists here, that's kid games...

1 Go to comments

Jmann 59 minutes ago

World Rankings: All Blacks fall, Eagles soar

NZ should certainly be above Ireland now

2 Go to comments

frandinand 1 hour ago

'Shame on you' - Viewers notice depressing off-field sight at Wales defeat

Who's obsessed. Your continual obsession with kiwi coaches is a sign of paranoia.

And the kiwi coach of the Wallabies has just coached them to a demolition of Wales a team that beat them 40 to 6 last year.

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JW 1 hour ago

England player ratings vs South Africa | 2024 Autumn Nations Series

Didn't Earl get skinned again?

I get it, but at least your coach was a winner, right? Ours was hopeless, Rennie took over his Super team and immediately won two Championships. I might not be the best judge as it was my team but they were perennial underachievers under Foster. In any case, it's the best you've got (unlike in NZ's case), so try and get on board. Have faith that SB will be flexible enough to improve his personal if needed.

This surely has to be the best playing English side to follow in a long long time (well fans might need some more obvious proof come 6N time), so what are you waiting for?

PS: just gone through the last couple of decades results, particular the scorelines, and Eddie Jones era is far and away better than anybody else. You must have scored nearly twice the amount of tries per game as SL did.

9 Go to comments

DH 1 hour ago

All Blacks player ratings vs France | Autumn Nations Series

At least he no longer writes articles related to the All Blacks. The suggestion with these ratings is that the ABs have a lot more left in the tank... Which is nonsense, this was a nail biter of a test of the highest standard and both sides we're going at it hammer and tongs. As is often the case in rugby, the team that managed to score the most tries won.

32 Go to comments

frandinand 1 hour ago

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Why does Rugby Pass persist in giving Ben Smith the job of rating players. He's a total numpty and has no idea. The Taimati Williams rating of 4 just shows his complete inability to analyze a player's performance.

32 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Who, the ABs? Oh for sure, they punched above their weight in that cup, but also had got a lot better than anyone had thought they could (except perhaps SAn's) well out from the WC (to the point where you were disappointed not to win it). Then they've probably done the most post analyzing of their RWCs in the past, due to all their failures, they knew how to maximize their itinerary and that first game against France was of less importance than any one off test was against. At least a test like this weekends had meaning, even if it's not surrounded by any overarching point. That first match in the RWC though, along with the Ireland v SA game, were totally meaningless. Everyone already knew they were only going to be up against each other, and that's why NZ were only at around 70% during it.

So you're quite right, it was pointless to make as much out of it as this author did. The same pretty much goes for 2 years prior as well, because that's obviously before the above happened. NZ were at least trying very hard in that game, and although it needed some Ntamack magic at the end, France looked pretty comfortable, or should I say, NZ very poor. That picture obviously turned around this year, but still with that fabulous French flair scoring some crazy tries to win it again.

93 Go to comments

OJohn 1 hour ago

'Shame on you' - Viewers notice depressing off-field sight at Wales defeat

You really need to get over your obsession with my comments Scotty

7 Go to comments

frandinand 1 hour ago

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A typically inane comment from Walter. The most influential rugby commentator in Australia can't give any praise to his countries team because he predicted that they would lose every game on the EYOT . You can’t see his face for the egg on it.

For someone who proclaims he is invariably right he is proving he is invariably wrong.

7 Go to comments

RF 2 hours ago

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