Looks like the Wallabies will be facing some talented backs and slightly less talented forwards at Twickenham, which should suit them fine.
Martin Johnson has unofficially indicated that Ugo Monye, Matt Banahan and Mark Cueto will start in the back three, with Shane Geraghty and Dan Hipkiss in midfield.
Wilko is expected to return at fly-half, with either Danny Care or Paul Hodgson at 9.
As for the forwards, Johnson is said to want a tight five as similar as possible to the one that faced Argentina in the summer. The backrow is expected to be Croft and Moody, with either Jordan Crane or James Haskell at 8.
Here’s the England squad:
D Bell (Bath), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Crane (Leicester), T Croft (Leicester), L Deacon (Leicester), D Hartley (Northampton), J Haskell (Stade Francais), C Lawes (Northampton), L Moody (Leicester), T Payne (Wasps), S Thompson (Brive), D Wilson (Bath). M Banahan (Bath), D Care (Harlequins), M Cueto (Sale Sharks), A Erinle (Biarritz), S Geraghty (Northampton), A Goode (Brive), D Hipkiss (Leicester), P Hodgson (London Irish), U Monye (Harlequins), J Wilkinson (Toulon).
MarkH
Guest
If the Wallabies dont beat them.....It will be because Gits shouldnt be at 10. Please stop kicking goals, it dosnt allow the team to gain confidence nor ascendancy in attack.
Parisien
Guest
And may I take this opportunity to invite you down to my boxing club if you ever come to Paris? A few rounds in the ring and a cold drink afterwards.
Knives Out
Guest
I only meant a Roar bet, Terry. No spondulux or anything. Me in Australia? I don't think the Sexy Police would let me leave London. Gordon Brown is insistent that I stay in London in order to boost tourism. Only joking. I'm not a flying fan. You should send me a Roar msg if/when you're in London and come down to my rugby club.
Terry Kidd
Guest
Lol Knives ... I would have a wager with you but it would be a little hard to collect. Next time I'm in England or you are in Oz? I would settle for a pint.
Knives Out
Guest
Ooh... that sounds like a sportsman's wager to me, Terry. You say Australia by 9 I'm gna' come out and throw out England by 8. Cop that! Be gentle with me post-match...
mart
Guest
Agree with PHB but suggest much bigger Wallabies blowout in 2nd half. Net is that this is not an Eng "team", it is a thrown together collection. The Walla's are at the least a team (and somewhat good one in my opinion) and thus will execute better. Interesting that the spin coming out of Eng today is they are running well as a team - wonder who buys that ?
PastHisBest
Roar Guru
Tight first half with England perhaps ahead and then Australia to pull away and win comfortably by 15. But hey, I'm not putting my hard-earned on it.
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
Scrum even, rucks patchy, lineouts to England, backline moves will stutter. Wallabies should beat them, but should be by more. Fingers crossed.
Cracker
Guest
Is this England team really that bad? There's a lot of blokes there I haven't heard of but surely they'll be decent.
Terry Kidd
Guest
Wallabies by 9, when it should actually be far more, but they will sqaunder chances as they have all year through dumb and inept play.
TommyM
Guest
Wow, harsh! It the Wallabies don't smash this lineup there is something serisously wrong. Sadly, I almost hope they lose, because if they win and win well we'll be stuck with Gits at 10 for the foreseeable future.
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
This English XV is painfully mediocre. Payne, Deacon, Crane and Hipkiss are mere honest club toilers who will prove to be completely out of their depth at Test level. I harbour grave doubts about Monye's ability to play full-back; we saw last year how effective Giteau's kicks into space were and I'm sure he'll seek to repeat the trick this time around against a novice like Monye. I harbour equally grave doubts that Geraghty has the beef or poise to play 12. I suspect he'll provide us with one nice moment and about three major clangers a la Cipriani last year. Banahan, meanwhile, is laughably over-rated: his turning speed is slower than the QEII's and even the stodgiest of wingers ought to fancy their chances of nipping past him on the outside. He's a freaky curiosity; nothing more. I predict that a game but limited England will go down by about 12 to a scarcely more capable Australia.
Rowdy
Guest
I was going to make some comment on the England selections, but it makes me too depressed. I predict parity in the tight, Aus dominance in the loose, slow ball for England, and an Aus win by 10-13.