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England name team with eight changes, including a new cap at lock

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Eddie Jones has named an England team to host Argentina on Sunday that shows eight changes – five in the pack – from the XV that started the July 16 series-clinching win over Australia in Sydney. As has been typical of Jones in recent years, the selection picture is always fluid and after coming into the Autumn Nations Series preparation camp with injured pair Jamie George and Courtney Lawes missing along with the axed veteran Danny Care, the team that would run out against the Pumas at Twickenham was always set to look very different.

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So it has now been proven. With Lawes absent, Owen Farrell will captain the side from inside centre where he partners the fit-again Manu Tuilagi, who is in for Guy Porter. Marcus Smith is at fly-half with Ben Youngs taking over at scrum-half from Care. Vice-captain Jack Nowell is on the right wing, Joe Cokanasiga is on the left wing for Tommy Freeman and Freddie Steward is at full-back.

There is an England debut for Alex Coles at lock in place of Ollie Chessum, with Jonny Hill alongside him. Vice-captain Ellis Genge makes up the front row alongside Kyle Sinckler, who starts for Will Stuart, and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, who replaces the injured George. Maro Itoje – for Lawes – and Tom Curry – for Lewis Ludlam – are named as flankers and Billy Vunipola is No8.

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With Sydney sub Nick Isiekwe out injured, David Ribbans is also in line to make his England debut after being named on the replacements bench where there is a six/two forwards/backs split compared to the five-three cover they had for their last outing.

As Cowan-Dickie is now in the starting team, Jack Singleton could make his first England appearance since 2019 as the covering hooker. Mako Vunipola, Joe Heyes, Jack Willis, Jack van Poortvliet are the four repeat picks from the Sydney bench, with Sam Simmonds included as the extra forward with utility back Will Joseph absent. Henry Slade completes the 23 in place of Henry Arundell.

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“It’s been a really good week of preparation and I have been very pleased with the squad’s attitude,” said Jones. “They have shown a real work ethic and a determination to improve. Our leaders – Owen, Ellis and Jack – have really lifted the team. We’re looking forward to a great game of rugby at a full Twickenham against a very good Argentina side. It has been a tough time for rugby lately and we hope these autumn games show just what a special game it is.”

England (vs Argentina, Sunday)
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 13 caps)
14. Jack Nowell (VC) (Exeter Chiefs, 42 caps)
13. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 46 caps)
12. Owen Farrell (C) (Saracens, 97 caps)
11. Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 12 caps)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 13 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 117 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (VC) (Bristol Bears, 39 caps)
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 37 caps)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 52 caps)
4. Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
5. Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 15 caps)
6. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 58 caps)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 41 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 64 caps)

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Replacements:
16. Jack Singleton (Gloucester Rugby, 3 caps)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 70 caps)
18. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)
19. David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
20. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 14 caps)
21. Jack Willis (unattached, 4 caps)
22. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 3 caps)
23. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 48 caps)

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J
JW 3 hours ago
The revitalised Australians are pushing a Super Rugby revival

I’d have to get my head around it, but for simplicity and continuity sake, I’ll pose if we take your description and apply that it means a team like SA simply chooses to scrum and lineout more often, and perhaps take longer in doing so, then that would be a very obvious circumstance to have verified, but I have not seen anything like that. I mean we did agonize over scrums nearly taking a minute to set in that semi final, but that was two sides happy to play (at) the same game (/pace).


My assumption was it was rather a symptom of how they play, a combative tight contest results in more errors/scrums, kicking inclination and tall timber means more ball dead lineouts (playing for penalties?), if the game is '“slower” because of ‘legitimate’ factors, a low BIP is fairly irrelevant, you’re both still getting your bang for buck of a great contest, and those contests are very absorbing and energy zapping, which doesn’t align with your theory. You’re on the edge of your seat waiting to see one team get smash in the scrum, or if the other can secure good ball, just as you are waiting for a phase or two to build before pressure a ruck for a turnover etc. I’m sure they would loved a higher BIP if that was the symptom of their style, just as long as they got those rest breaks still.


But I could always have had the wrong perception of it being based on the fact I’ve only notice BIP improving when refs started stopping the clock (instead of berating the teams to hurryup), so the BIP obviously improves when doing that, but the game still looked to take as long, meaning that 1 or 2 minutes saved was always going to be largely ineffectual. It has also always appeared to me that what defines teams like SA is the amount of time the clock is stopped (even before refs tried to combat them by blowing the whistle more often) in their games, and therefor how long their games last. This is a stat/factor that I have seen analyzed and proven, but your articles have also highlighted the odd thing or two (scrum frequency dropping etc) that I would be very interested in a comprehensive analysis on effects of a test involving SA (compared to before), I certainly can’t remember any extra fatigue showing in their games last year after a raft of changes to stop scrums from being taken etc.

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