England will enter Saturday’s critical 2014 Six Nations opener against France with a radically reshaped backline founded on promise over experience.
In a bold team selection that could be viewed as risky for a championship showdown in Paris, uncapped pair Jack Nowell and Luther Burrell will be installed on the right wing and at outside centre.
Jonny May will start on the left wing in the XV named by head coach Stuart Lancaster on Thursday morning, making only his second Test appearance.
With inside centre Billy Twelvetrees possessing only eight caps, it means England are set to enter a potentially title-deciding clash with a rookie three-quarter line full of unknown quantities.
Scrum-half Danny Care, fly-half Owen Farrell and full-back Mike Brown number 81 caps, offering a degree of maturity in what is expected to be a bruising collision at the Stade de France, but Lancaster has otherwise gambled on potential.
The absence of Manu Tuilagi with a chest injury has limited England’s midfield options, but the decision to omit out-of-form Chris Ashton from the squad travelling to Paris and Brad Barritt’s likely selection on the bench has removed two established names from the XV.
With Ben Youngs also deemed surplus to requirements, Care will be given the nod at scrum-half with Lee Dickson offering cover from the bench.
An additional risk is the likely absence of specialist fly-half cover among the replacements with Alex Goode expected to pull the strings if required.
For all the uncertainty behind the scrum, stability reigns in the pack with loosehead prop the only position to demand lengthy consideration.
The duel between the ruggedness and set-piece solidity of Joe Marler against the ball-carrying prowess of Mako Vunipola should see the former edge into the XV.
England will reselect the rest of the pack – led by captain Chris Robshaw – that performed with such ferocity in autumn against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
The short weeks are done and dusted, with six more games in the regular season before we head into finals. The Crowd extended their…
The Melbourne Rebels may have traded while insolvent for more than five years, giving rise to potential breach of director duty claims for the…
The ACT Brumbies’ struggles against New Zealand opposition in 2024 has been a shock. The side is heavily laden with Wallabies and has strong…
He was born 1905, 1904 or 1908 according to various reports, in Wairoa, Hawkes Bay, and is remembered as one of the great Māori players.
And then, there were two. The NSW Waratahs and Fijian Drua will meet at Ballymore to decide who lifts the Super Rugby Women's trophy,…
Ned Hanigan is one of the in-form forwards in Australian rugby who looks set to finally turn promise into quality on the international stage,…
