Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England make four changes but no recall for benched Ben Youngs

(Photo by David Rogers/The RFU Collection via Getty Imagesges )

Eddie Jones has recalled the Courtney Lawes and Manu Tuilagi to his starting England XV to face Wales this Saturday, the inclusion of the fit-again duo being two of four changes made to the team that began the Guinness Six Nations round two win over Italy on February 13.

ADVERTISEMENT

The head coach had made six alterations to his starting team going into that match in Rome after losing to Scotland and he has now shaken up his selection again for this weekend’s round three game at home against the Welsh at Twickenham.   

Lawes missed the opening two matches of the Six Nations due to a concussion sustained when playing for Northampton in the Champions Cup last month while Tuilagi had been sidelined since damaging a hamstring when scoring last November against the Springboks.  

Video Spacer

Six Nations preview with Exeter’s Sam Skinner | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 22

Video Spacer

Six Nations preview with Exeter’s Sam Skinner | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 22

Both are now recalled to the team in place of Joe Marchant, who has been excluded altogether, and Nick Isiekwe, who drops to the bench in place of Ollie Chessum. Tom Curry, who had skippered the team in the opening two rounds, has given the captaincy back to Lawes, whose start at blindside will see Maro Itoje switch from flanker to lock.

Elsewhere, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Kyle Sinckler are chosen in the front row in place of Jamie George and Will Stuart. A major surprise, however, was Harry Randall being retained as the starting No9. Veteran Ben Youngs was expected to take the jersey back having been on the bench in Rome where he equalled Jason Leonard’s record of 114 caps in England’s 33-0 win away to Italy.

Related

For the Italy game, Jones benched Elliot Daly, Youngs, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler and Sam Simmonds after they had started in the round one defeat at Scotland while he also lost the services of the injured Lewis Ludlam. 

Jones began this week by assembling 35 players at Pennyhill but ten of those – forwards Alfie Barbeary, Jamie Blamire, Joe Heyes and Joe Launchbury, and backs Orlando Bailey, George Furbank, Louis Lynagh, Marchant, Raffi Quirke and Adam Radwan – were released back to their clubs on Tuesday evening.

ADVERTISEMENT

That left him with 25 players retained in camp ahead of Thursday’s matchday 23 selection and Chessum and Bevan Rodd are the two players remaining in the squad who didn’t make the cut to face Wales.  

“We have prepared very well for this game, the squad have really come together on and off the pitch,” said Jones. “Wales are a good, tough side and Six Nations champions and it will make for an exciting Test match in front of a full Twickenham crowd.

“We have got a talented, young, hungry squad who have trained with real intensity this week.  We are ready to go at them and can’t wait to play in front of our supporters again. It will also be a special match with two significant milestones for Ben and Kyle (who is earning his 50th cap), both of who have made outstanding contributions to English rugby so far in their careers.  We congratulate them and we know there is more to come ahead for them.”

ENGLAND (vs Wales, Saturday)
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
14. Max Malins (Saracens, 12 caps)
13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 45 caps) (VC)
12. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 46 caps)
11. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 36 caps)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 7 caps)
9. Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 3 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 33 caps) (VC)
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 33 caps) (VC)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 49 caps)
4. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 28 caps)
5. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 53 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 90 caps) (C)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 38 caps) (VC)
8. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 6 caps)

ADVERTISEMENT

FINISHERS
16. Jamie George (Saracens, 63 caps)
17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 76 caps)
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 17 caps)
19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 5 caps)
20. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 11 caps)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 114 caps)
22. George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 79 caps)
23. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 54 caps)

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
SK 45 minutes ago
Why England's defence of the realm has crumbled without Felix Jones

The way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Tupou Vaa'i gives first impression of 'big unit' Fabian Holland Tupou Vaa'i on 'big unit' Fabian Holland
Search