England ring the changes ahead of Port Elizabeth
Much was said about Jonathan Joseph ahead of last weekends test in Johannesburg. This will he would want to show us what all the fuss is about. Photo by Denese Lups /Rugby15.
Morgan Piek – Dylan Hartley will lead the English against the Springboks in the final test of their three match tour to South Africa. Their touring captain Chris Robshaw picked up a tour ending injury against the Springboks in Johannesburg last weekend.
This weekend’s English team sees no less than six changes made to the side that lost 36-27 to the Springboks at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg last weekend. Apart from the personnel changes coach Stuart Lancaster has made a few positional changes as well.
Highlanders bad boy James Haskell sees himself move into the Test line-up as replacement for Robshaw. Haskell has somewhat of a bad reputation in South Africa after punching Toyota Cheetahs loose forward Justin Downey with a combination of hooks that would have made even Mike Tyson proud. Haskell picked up a six week suspension for the incident.
Alex Corbisiero comes off the bench and replaces the colourful youngster Joe Marler at loosehead. Marler is by no means a bad player, however, the inexperienced Harlequins front rower found the going tough in the scrums in Johannesburg. Corbisiero is technically a better in the scrum and may just provide some indication as to coach Stuart Lancaster’s intentions on Saturday.
Tuesday nights midweek game against the South African Barbarians North team gave us some insight to the whole list of changes that would be made, as South African born Mouritz Botha was on the bench for that game and has been dropped to the bench for the test match as well. Tom Palmer comes off the bench to replace Botha.
The hard running and highly impressive former Kiwi Thomas Waldrom remains in the team at will pick up his first capped in the starting fifteen after earning his first test cap of the bench last weekend.
Halfback Ben Youngs misses out on the final test through injury as well and will be replaced by Danny Care. The more experienced Toby Flood remains in the number ten jersey ahead of Owen Farrell who started at flyhalf in Durban. Farrell remains on the bench.
The English have stuck to their guns with the young and inexperienced centre combination of the unknown Jonathan Joseph and the physical Manu Tuilagi. South African born former Shark, Bradley Barritt returns to the match day 22 and will warm the bench.
Ben Foden moves from fullback to leftwing in the place of David Strettle who saw himself was dropped from the test squad to the midweek squad. Alex Goode comes off the bench as well to slot into the number fifteen jersey in the place of Foden.
The England team is as follows:
15. Alex Goode, 14. Chris Ashton, 13. Jonathan Joseph, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Ben Foden, 10. Toby Flood, 9. Danny Care, 8. Thomas Waldrom, 7. James Haskell, 6. Tom Johnson, 5. Geoff Parling, 4. Tom Palmer, 3. Dan Cole, 2. Dylan Hartley (captain), 1. Alex Corbisiero.
Replacements: 16. Lee Mears, 17. Joe Marler, 18. Mouritz Botha, 19. Phil Dowson, 20. Lee Dickson, 21. Owen Farrell, 22. Brad Barritt.
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