RWC News: England suffer another blow ahead of opener, Kolisi says ABs clash 'not a friendly, never has been'

England’s troubled build-up to the World Cup has continued with the news that Anthony Watson will miss the entire tournament because of a calf problem.

In the week Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola were issued with bans that rule them out of the critical opener against Argentina, coach Steve Borthwick has now lost a first choice wing.

Watson sustained the damage in Saturday’s 29-10 rout by Ireland and has been replaced in the 33-man World Cup squad by Jonny May, who starts Saturday’s clash with Fiji.

It is a savage blow for the Lions three-quarter who had previously battled back from long-term knee and Achilles injuries and was poised to start the Pumas showdown on September 9.

“In the game against Ireland, Anthony Watson suffered an injury to his calf which means he can’t play for a number of weeks,” Borthwick said.

“As such he will not be part of the 33 that travels to France next week. We’re all really disappointed for him.”

Watson follows ankle injury-victim Jack van Poortvliet in being forced to withdraw from the original squad named by Borthwick.

Steve Borthwick. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Imag

A grim picture is developing in the back three with Borthwick also revealing that Elliot Daly and Henry Arundell have been ruled out of the World Cup send-off against Fiji at Twickenham.

Daly suffered a knee issue against Ireland but England are confident he will recover in time to face Argentina while Arundell has been struck down by a “freak back spasm”.

Borthwick was at least able to deliver a positive update on Tom Curry after confirming that he will return to full training imminently having missed all four warm-up Tests because of an ankle injury.

Ben Earl will play at the back of the scrum and George Ford will continue at five-eighth as England size up their options without the suspended Farrell and Vunipola against Fiji.

Courtney Lawes will win his 100th cap in the clash with the Pacific islanders, who last week provided World Cup hosts France with a tough examination in Nantes.

“Fiji have proven themselves to be a strong opposition and we look forward to what we expect to be an exciting and challenging game,” said Borthwick.

There are nine changes to the side that started against Ireland, with Theo Dan getting his first England start at hooker.

England team

Freddie Steward, Max Malins, Ollie Lawrence, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May, George Ford, Alex Mitchell, Ellis Genge, Theo Dan, Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Courtney Lawes (c), Jack Willis, Ben Earl.

Replacements: Jack Walker, Joe Marler, Will Stuart, David Ribbans, Lewis Ludlam, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Joe Marchant.

Fiji will pair their captain Waisea Nayacalevu and highly-rated centre Semi Radradra together for the first time in the Test at Twickenham.

Nayacalevu comes into Saturday’s side, and takes over the captaincy from Radradra, in one of seven changes from the starting line-up that lost 34-17 to World Cup hosts France in Nantes seven days earlier.

“We have been rotating players and testing combinations so this is the right time to test these two experienced players this weekend,” said coach Simon Raiwalui on Thursday.

“They are leaders in the team and also role models to our players and I’m confident that they will form the best combination on the day.”

Frank Lomani and Caleb Muntz continue at halfback after impressing against the French but Selesitino Ravutaumada comes in at right wing and Ilaisa Droasese is drafted in at fullback.

In the front row, Sam Matavesi takes over from Tevita Ikanivere at hooker and Luke Tagi is in on the tighthead side.

There are also two changes among the loose forwards as Lekima Tagitagivalu and Albert Tuisue take over on the flanks.

Raiwalui said England would provide a daunting challenge.

“It’s another big physical battle and I think they will try and use their pack to the limit. We have been working on ours. I think they will be very tactical with their kicking. It is going to be a different challenge this weekend,” he added.

Fiji are in Pool C at the World Cup along with Australia, Georgia, Wales and Portugal. They begin their campaign against the Welsh in Bordeaux on September 10 and will face the Wallabies at St Etienne on September 17.

Fiji team

Team: Ilaisa Droasese, Selesitino Ravutaumada, Waisea Nayacalevu (capt), Semi Radradra, Vinaya Habosi, Caleb Muntz, Frank Lomani; Viliame Mata, Lekima Tagitagivalu, Albert Tuisue, Te Ahiwaru Cirikidveta, Isoa Nasilasila, Luke Tagi, Sam Matavesi, Eroni Mawi.

Replacements: Zuriel Togiatama, Jone Koroiduadua, Samu Tawake, Temo Mayanavanua, Vilive Miramira, Simione Kuruvoli, Teti Tela, Kalaveti Ravouvou.

Kolisi ready for full scale battle

South Africa are gunning for a morale-boosting victory ahead of the World Cup when they face old foes New Zealand in a final warm-up at Twickenham, with captain Siya Kolisi adamant the champions will hold nothing back in what he expects to be a “beautiful game”.

The teams are on a potential collision course in the World Cup quarter-finals, but Kolisi maintains his side are only thinking about Friday’s (Saturday AEST) final warm up and how they can avenge a 35-20 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland during the Rugby Championship.

New Zealand are taking no chances either, having selected arguably their best available side, and Kolisi has welcomed the challenge.

“That shows what the intent is. This is not a friendly game. It has never been,” the Springbok skipper told reporters on Thursday. 

“We are looking forward to the battle, it will be a physical game as usual in one of the biggest rivalries in sport.

“We will not hold anything back. There are 82,000 people coming to see us and we don’t want to disappoint those who have paid money to watch this game. We want to give it everything on the field and I think it will be a beautiful game.”

In what is going to be a fierce physical, fast-paced battle against New Zealand, there is the potential that tackles could get higher, but Kolisi says the Boks are unlikely to make the same mistakes as the England pair, Billy Vunipola and Owen Farrell, who will both miss the start of the competition after bans.

“We train over and over with our technique. Rugby is played at a certain height now, with the mauling, scrumming, breakdown and tackle,” said Kolisi.

Siya Kolisi of South Africa is tackled by Henry Slade. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

“We can be as physical as we are because we have trained for it over and over, and the muscle memory is on it. It is uncomfortable down there, it is not nice when someone so big is running at you and you have to get down low.

“That is why you have to learn how to meet them and react to a level change and all those types of things. It takes a lot of hard work.”

But Kolisi says he has no issue with the strict rules put in place by officials.

“World Rugby is trying to protect us by keeping the game clean, so we are fine when are done playing,” he said.

Boost for Ireland

Ireland expect their first-choice hookers Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher to be fit for the World Cup in what will be a major boost for the Six Nations champions.

Sheehan hobbled off with a foot injury in last weekend’s 29-10 win over England, while Kelleher’s hamstring problem keeps him out of Saturday’s team to face Samoa, meaning he will be the only player in the squad not to feature in any warm-up games.

Sheehan, who has made an enormous impact since his debut two years ago, sprained a ligament in his foot, which Farrell said was a better outcome than expected.

“We’ll see how he progresses over the coming weeks but we expect him to be fit for the World Cup,” Farrell told a news conference when asked whether Sheehan would be available for the straightforward opener against Romania on September 9.

“As far as Ronan is concerned, he’s doing great. He’s flying around the place. This week, say it was a World Cup semi-final or final, I’m sure that we could have got him over the line, but there’s no need to do that.”

Farrell will nevertheless hand Ulster hooker Tom Stewart his first international start against Samoa in Bayonne, France.

Stewart, who made his debut off the bench against Italy this month, appears to be battling with his more experienced Ulster teammate Rob Herring for the third hooker spot in the squad.

Very much in the all-action, try-scoring mould of Sheehan, the 22-year-old Stewart was the United Rugby Championship’s top try scorer this season with 16 in 15 games, including back-to-back hat tricks in the province’s final four matches.

There are first warm-up starts for Conor Murray, Cian Healy and Australian Finlay Bealham, each of whom looks certain to be included in Farrell’s final 33-man squad.

Healy will become the outright third most capped Irish player with his 125th appearance.

While Ryan Baird gets another chance to show his versatility at back row and Stuart McCloskey starts at centre, the exclusion of Jacob Stockdale and Ciaran Frawley from the matchday 22 would appear to lengthen their odds of making the final cut on Monday.

Ireland

Team:  15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Conor Murray; 1 Cian Healy, 2 Tom Stewart, 3 Finlay Bealham, 4 Iain Henderson (capt), 5 Tadhg Beirne, 6 Ryan Baird, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Caelan Doris.

Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 James Ryan, 20 Peter O’Mahony, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Garry Ringrose.