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Recap: England vs Italy LIVE | Summer Series
By RugbyPass
Follow all the action from the World Cup warm-up match on the RugbyPass live blog as England host Italy at St James’ Park in Newcastle.
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Eddie Jones has opted for a mix-and-match selection strategy that sees Joe Marchant – someone from outside England’s World Cup 31 – named to start outside centre with Piers Francis inside him.
Skipper Owen Farrell starts at fly-half while debutant Ruaridh McConnochie is named on the right wing with Anthony Watson at full-back.
Dan Cole starts alongside Jamie George and Joe Marler in the front row with Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes named at lock. Mark Wilson will start at openside flanker with Tom Curry and Billy Vunipola making up the rest of the back row.
(Continue reading below…)
Jones said: “We’re delighted to be playing against Italy, one of our traditional Six Nations rivals, and the game is another important step to develop our game fitness and game strategy.
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“We have gone with a mix-and-match selection policy to develop our adaptability and the team’s ability to cope with any situation.
“We have had a solid training week in Treviso with hot conditions so we are looking forward to testing ourselves against Italy. Then we hop on the plane and are ready to go to Japan.”
Mark Wilson sets the scene ahead of England's final World Cup warm-up game against Italyhttps://t.co/greJN9C4Xx
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 6, 2019
Conor O’Shea has made 11 changes to his Italy team following last weekend’s loss to France in Paris. Full-back Jayden Hayward will link up with Mattia Bellini and Edoardo Padovani in the back three, the midfield consists of Tommaso Benvenuti and Giulio Bisegni, while at half-back there is a first Test start for Gloucester’s Callum Braley who will partner Carlo Canna.
In the forwards, Braam Steyn keeps his place and will be joined by Jimmy Tuivaiti at No8 and Sebastian Negri. The second row is a combination of David Sisi and Dean Budd, who is skippering the team for the second time this summer after leading the charge in the August match versus Ireland.
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‘You would be saying thank you because the pinnacle for rugby in England is for the national team to be successful and Saracens produce players that make England better’
– Brendan Venter tells @chrisjonespress exactly why @Saracens should be praisedhttps://t.co/ZkuEbkwJC6— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 5, 2019
The front row consists of Simone Ferrari, Oliviero Fabiani and Nicola Quaglio, while the bench has a split of six forwards and just two backs, Guglielmo Palazzani and Tommaso Allan.
“We will face one of the strongest teams in the world in a match that represents a new step in our preparation towards the World Cup,” said O’Shea after announcing his side.
WATCH: The RugbyPass guide to Sapporo, the city where England will kick off their World Cup campaign against Tonga on September 22
