English team to play New Zealand in 1st Test
ENGLAND today named their team for Saturday’s 1st Test in the Steinlager Series against New Zealand at Eden Park.
British and Irish Lions Geoff Parling and Manusamoa Tuilagi are included while there is a return for London Wasps flanker James Haskell after a 12-month absence.
Seven players that started against Italy in the RBS 6 Nations are included in the XV – captain Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown, Danny Care, Joe Launchbury, Jonny May, Ben Morgan and David Wilson.
England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “We’ve had a good week’s training in Auckland and have prepared well and are ready for the massive challenge ahead. It doesn’t get much bigger than playing New Zealand at Eden Park where they haven’t lost in 20 years but those selected know what they have to do.
“Billy Twelvetrees is recovering well from his ankle injury and should be available for the 2nd Test and it’s now a good opportunity for Kyle Eastmond to build on what he achieved in Argentina last summer.
“It’s great to welcome back Geoff Parling and James Haskell who have a lot of experience and equally it’s a fantastic opportunity for Joe Gray and Chris Pennell, who have really impressed in training, should they come off the bench for their first caps.
“We’ve had lots of messages of support and I am sure the players will be giving their all at the start of this three Test series.”
England (v New Zealand, 1st Test, Steinlager Series, Eden Park, Saturday, June 7, 7.35pm NZST/8.35am BST)
15 Mike Brown (Harlequins, 26 caps)
14 Marland Yarde (London Irish, 2 caps)
13 Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
12 Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby, 2 caps)
11 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 6 caps)
10 Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby, 3 caps)
9 Danny Care (Harlequins, 47 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 19 caps)
2 Rob Webber (Bath Rugby, 5 caps)
3 David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 34 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 19 caps)
5 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 19 caps)
6 James Haskell (London Wasps, 50 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt, 25 caps)
8 Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby, 20 caps)
Replacements
16 Joe Gray (Harlequins, uncapped)
17 Matt Mullan (London Wasps, 3 caps)
18 Henry Thomas (Sale Sharks, 6 caps)
19 Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 10 caps)
20 Tom Johnson (Exeter Chiefs, 7 caps)
21 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 35 caps)
22 Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 7 caps)
23 Chris Pennell (Worcester Warriors, uncapped)
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