England Team to Play Samoa
Eddie Jones has named his squad to play Samoa in the final Test of the Old Mutual Wealth Series on Saturday (KO 3pm live on Sky Sports).
Jones has made nine changes to the starting lineup that beat Australia 30-6 last weekend at Twickenham Stadium.
George Ford (Leicester Tigers) and Chris Robshaw (Harlequins) are named as co-captains, a role they played in England’s Old Mutual Wealth Cup match against the Barbarians in May.
Robshaw moves to open side with Maro Itoje (Saracens) starting at blind side. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs) will make his first start for England at number 8 in the absence of Nathan Hughes (Wasps).
There are two changes in the front row with Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers) and Jamie George (Saracens) replacing Mako Vunipola (Saracens) and Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints). The England captain has been named as a finisher.
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby) will start alongside last weekend’s man-of-the-match Joe Launchbury (Wasps) in the second row.
This weekend will see Alex Lozowski (Saracens) and Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) as the centre combination with Mike Brown (Harlequins) returning to the starting 15 after missing the Australia Test due to injury. Danny Care (Harlequins) will start his first Test of the series with Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers) named as a finisher.
England head coach Jones said: “This is an exciting squad to play against Samoa and we are expecting them to be immensely physical and committed this weekend.
“We want to follow up last week’s performance against Australia and play better again this week. Our intent in every game and every training session is to be better.
“This week it is an opportunity for some squad members who haven’t been playing to put their best foot forward. We will have to play smart and will need to find ways to win the contest against Samoa.
“The crowd last week were outstanding and we want to put on a good performance again for them this weekend.”
England team to play Samoa
Starting 15
15 Mike Brown (Harlequins 63 caps)
14 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers 28 caps)
13 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs 9 caps)
12 Alex Lozowski (Saracens 3 caps)
11 Elliot Daly (Wasps 15 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers 39 caps) co-captain
9 Danny Care (Harlequins 75 caps)
1 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers 4 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens 19 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers 76 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps 46 caps)
5 Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby 5 caps)
6 Maro Itoje (Saracens 13 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins 58 caps) co-captain
8 Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs 2 caps)
Finishers
16 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints 88 caps)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins 52 caps)
18 Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs 4 caps)
19 Nick Isiekwe (Saracens 1 cap)
20 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints 60 caps)
21 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers 72 caps)
22 Piers Francis (Northampton Saints 2 caps)
23 Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath Rugby 3 caps)
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