Starter: Tom Youngs
England have named Tom Youngs and Alex Goode in their starting line-up for their opening November Test fixture with Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday.
The Leicester Tigers hooker, who played twice in midweek during the June tour of South Africa, will start alongside Joe Marler and Dan Cole as England are set to kick-off their four-Test series.
There are five changes to the XV from the final Test against the Boks, including Charlie Sharples coming on to the right wing for Chris Ashton and Ugo Monye taking over from Ben Foden on the left.
Brad Barritt will partner Manusamoa Tulagi in the centre while Chris Robshaw returns as captain at openside flanker for James Haskell.
"This QBE International series will be a real marker of where we are as a squad. We are playing four back to back matches in four weeks against the top teams in the world and we are confident we can rise to the challenge. The foundations are in place, now it's time for us to execute and deliver," said England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster.
"Fiji is a good first Test for us and we can't wait to play back at Twickenham. The atmosphere against Ireland back in March was superb and you can't underestimate what it means to the players to have 82,000 people and the nation behind them.
"Congratulations to Tom Youngs, who has made a great transition from centre to hooker in a short period and deserves his chance, as do Joe Launchbury and Mako Vunipola, who we are pleased to be able to include in the squad."
England: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Danny Care, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Tom Johnson, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Tom Palmer, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 David Paice, 17 David Wilson, 18 Mako Vunipola, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Tom Wood, 21. Ben Youngs, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Mike Brown.
Date: Saturday, November 10
Kick-off: 14:30
Venue: Twickenham
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert, Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Television match official: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)
Comments
jamesliveinhope says...
@armchairgeneral - agree about the team thing but to compare any relatively young player to players at career zenith (or beyond) is a little harsh. Agree Warburton (but is the gap that really that wide?), disagree Pocock (a couple of outstanding games then oppositions have started to figure him out) don't know enough about Tiperic.
Posted 09:12 09th November 2012
missionary says...
@ sirtidychris...Cole is a good scrummager - I'd call him world class. Robshaw is a good leader and a good flanker - not sure I'd call him world class when you consider the players that are (Jerome Kaino, McCaw, Pocock, Dousatoir, Lydiate, Warburton, O'Brien, Brousouw, and I've forgotten a few). WC means you would walk into most teams. Robshaw wouldn't as there are too many others in front of him. Or maybe it is just a heap of WC players playing flanker.
I'd put Croft in the same bracket. Would love to know what you mean by he does a lot of what other 6's don't.
Lawes? I'd say he has potential to be WC. He ain't there yet.
Care is right up there I think. But Flood? He's good and solid but not sure he would walk into Wales, Ireland, France, SA, NZ or even Aus? Doubtful.
And lastly - Ashton. Sorry mate, he isn't all that. Especially against quality opposition. Here's a list of wingers for you that Ashton doesn't come close to: North, Cuthbert, Visser (well, maybe), anyone French, Habana, Ioane, Jane, Gear, let alone a whole raft of Fijian boys. Still, could be proven wrong this spring series.
Posted 01:03 09th November 2012
pierredelot1 says...
Oh dear Sir Tidy Chris you live in a dream world. Nine world class players in England, not a chance. Toooo many whiskies before you got to the keyboard old son. Even the best teams in the world have maybe four really top world class players with the remaining eleven been good to excellent. This side hardly has one that would be named in a world squad of say 23 players. Can't think of one myself.
Posted 23:30 08th November 2012
NHsaints says...
@kappelange I totally, 100% disagree. Robshaw, Care, Brown, Wood, Cole, Tuilagi, Flood and Palmer would all be starting in most SR teams. Flood is majorly underrated and actually very good, Robshaw has already shown he's world class, Care also has shown he's world class, Brown could be world class but we've only seen enough to know he's at least competetive amongst NH sides. Cole is hands down the best tighthead in international rugby at the moment. Tuilagi is well...tuilagi, he'll destroy the fijian midfield, and Wood and Palmer are both international standard, Wood could be even better but we've not seen enough of him yet. And all that isn't even going into the players we have injured (or suspended) or not selected - Foden, Hartley, Lawes, Armitage (Steffon), Tait, Joseph, Twelvetrees, Ashton, Wade, Corbisiero, Dickson, Burns, Farrel, Daley, Abendanon, Simpson-Daniel, Croft...the list goes on and on.
Posted 21:31 08th November 2012
kappelange says...
@APV1
im sorry mates but Tuilagi might be good by England standards but De Jongh, Paul Jordaan, Rene Ranger, Robbie Fruen, Richard Kahui and Jaque Fourie are better all better than him (note that all but one of those players arent even in their national squads atm for various reasons)
The frontrow has always been a strength of Englands, they're great scrummagers but their overall play just isnt up to par.
I think northern players are judged by different criteria than the south. You pick players on one great skill (one dimensional players) whereas we pick ours on overall skills.
This is a possible Stormers team for 2013
S. KITSHOFF
D. FOURIE
P. CILLIERS
E. ETZEBETH
A. BEKKER
S. BURGER
S. KOLISI
S. BURGER
E. JANTJIES
B. HABANA
J. DE VILLIERS
J. DE JONGH
G. APLON
J. TAUTE
that isnt a great team but how many england players can get in that lineup, the frontrow maybe, the others i dont think so
As for Flood, umm well NZ has three 10's better than him. Flood is probably on par with Gareth Anscombe.
Posted 18:18 08th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Stidychris: Robshaw world class and one of the best 7, apart from McCaw, Pocock, Dusetoir, Warburton, McCaws understudy, Tuperic, McCaws understidies understudy. We struggle to get names in the Lions squad. But who cares. Exeter are a team who can beat anyone (except Claremont), with one international in their team. That's the kind of team we want. Forget individual status; we will be giant slayers.
Posted 18:04 08th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
@Heathy. Are you saying Fiji is not Southern Hem? Continental drift is picking up!
Posted 17:54 08th November 2012
sirtidychris says...
No way do we have a lack of world class talent we just don't have star names...we idolise the SH players and build them up to be better than they actually are, we give them too much respect (half the reason why we always lose the 1st test in a series against them).....We have Quality throughout that side its just because they play for english club sides that they don't have the southern hemisphere mystery about them
Cole (one of the best tightheads in the world)
Robshaw (one of the best flankers and leaders in the world)
Care/on form youngs (most teams would kill to have scrum halves as good as these)
Flood (on form) is the most underated flyhalf in world rugby
Tuilagi one of the best OC's in the world
Ashton one of the best finshers in the world
Injured
Lawes when fit is world class
Croft when fit can do things no other 6 in the world can do (lions series 2009 case in point)
Foden when on form is one of the best broken play runners in the world.
There are definatley some more average players scattered amoungst there too but to say we don't have world class talent is foolhardy and i'll assure you the SH teams themselves will not be thinking the same way during preparations.
Posted 17:29 08th November 2012
heathy says...
I'm a little bit more excited about our bench then I am with the side. However, this was probably the assumed 15 starters when the 23 were picked and due to the fact there are injuries, this is where we are. For me we look laden in the middle with little creativity. Both Barritt and Tuilagi are good players and have done well for England but they are too similar for me and will not 'create'. Run through, yes but that is easy to defend against. Sharples is of interest and I hope he goes well but Monye has yet to stamp any authority on a game. He is quick, sizeable and looks the part. Never delivers though in an England shirt. He needs to step up.
Forwards are okay but I may have preferred Tom Wood and I'm not too sure whether Tom Youngs is ready for international rugby yet although we have limited choice in that dept. We are at home and against Fiji. No disrespect to Fiji but England 'should' be looking for a decent win here and get some paterns of play working well and put some combinations together. Thank god it isn't a SH team first up!!!
Posted 15:20 08th November 2012
APV1 says...
@ kappelange - whilst I applaud your use of the word, "mediocre", I can't say I agree with you.
I think Cole and Tuilagi would be considered in a World XV squad (note squad) and there are others who will also be in contention for the Lions (a good yard stick for a NH XV, albeit missing some key nationalities).
I suppose it depends on what you mean by "excited". If you mean "fling it about and run everything" players, I agree. Otherwise I can't.
Posted 14:31 08th November 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@1st58 I would imagine Armitage's exclusion had as much to do with the uncertainty around his drug panel outcome as it did with his playing in France.
Would also add that he knew what he was risking when he went there.
Posted 13:23 08th November 2012
jappers1983 says...
"Ugo - probably the worst finisher in Europe."
You appear to be judging him purely on the Lions' first test in 2009.....
Posted 13:14 08th November 2012
markmassive says...
I'd agree there is a serious lack of world class talent here. I'd probably say Danny Care is the closest we have, maybe also Robshaw?
My team would go as:
1. Vunipola (always start with your strongest scrummager, would rather Sheridan)
2. Hartley (unfortunately)
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Robson or Parling (both too light weight)
6. Robshaw
7. S. Armitage
8. Morgan
9. Care
10. Burns (form player)
12. Tuilagi
13. JJ
14. Wade (form player)
15. Goode (Brown on the bench)
11. Vardell (form player)
Posted 12:58 08th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Ah now i see why Goode was selected. Glen Jackson is ref. wasn't he Sarries?
Posted 12:46 08th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
No fault of coaches but a lot of changes. Despite no excuses time this is still a team in transition. Can't afford to look beyond Fiji. It's a banana skin in the making.
The bench is entirely changed from the last SAf game bench. Entirely. And 5 new players in the 15 + Manu switched back to 13. Hopefully training is going well.
Posted 12:43 08th November 2012
pierredelot1 says...
Goode better than Brown I doubt it and a very conservative back line. Bit of caution shown, but not a lot of pace in the centre just plain solid. Flood will he won't he? Why can't our No 10s be consistent. Care is the form guy so that was to be expected. No real suprises in the back row, but its a great pity that they haven't given Armitage a chance. What does he have to do. Second row steady and the front row very much to form. Hardly an exciting selection and no sign of a even a risk being taken. Looks like a boring grind it out win for England. I hope I'm proved wrong. (On the boring side that is)
Posted 12:38 08th November 2012
sixsevenoreight says...
predictable team from the 23 that was selected.
Tom youngs has been playing everyweek and is very highly thought of by the england management.
Alex goode was always going to start based on the fact our midfield has no playmaker.
would have liked the team to be (based on everyone being fit and it being Fiji):
Marler
Youngs
Cole
Lawes
Parling
Robshaw
Woods
Morgan
Care
Burns
36
tuilagi
Ashton
Sharples
Brown
Bench
Hartley
Wilson
vunipola
Launchbury
croft
youngs
flood
foden
Posted 11:42 08th November 2012
APV1 says...
I am almost a genius. I predicted this team, bar two discrepancies:
I didn't have Palmer, as I understood him to be injured.
I had Paice starting - it was a 50:50 call and I went the wrong way.
Otherwise qudos to me for being so brilliant.
@ fattysock - I think ArmchairGeneral has also suggested that Manu Tuilagi makes the same switch..! Can you imagine that sort of pace : power combination? Eat your heart out BdP and Brits, here we come! But I cant see MT doing it, which is a shame. Let's hope Rob Webber recovers soon, which will give us some good strong options at 2. Hartley will probably make 2015 - lack of injury-permitting - but who's the next off the rank?
Posted 11:27 08th November 2012
jonesy2 says...
who is favourites for this match? england because of home ground advantage? will be an interesting affair.
Posted 11:24 08th November 2012
whatisthis says...
as an ireland fan im jealous at how willing the coach seems to take a chance on youth. especially in the forwards and front row.
we have to import a 27 year old instead of trusting in our own props. stephen archer, while admittedly not the best, is deemed not ready. he,s 24.
Posted 11:08 08th November 2012