First start: Joe Launchbury
Joe Launchbury will start his first Test for England in Saturday's November International against South Africa at Twickenham.
The 21-year-old London Wasps lock has impressed off the bench against Fiji and Australia and gets his chance in a side showing six changes.
Tom Wood and Ben Morgan take over from Tom Johnson and Thomas Waldrom at flank and number eight respectively, while Alex Corbisiero comes in for Joe Marler at loosehead prop.
Mike Brown replaces Charlie Sharples on the left wing and Ben Youngs partners Leicester Tigers' team-mate Toby Flood at halfback.
There are also call-ups to the bench for the first time in this series for James Haskell, Mouritz Botha and Jonathan Joseph.
"We have picked a team that will give us the best chance of beating South Africa," said England head coach Stuart Lancaster.
"There were some tight calls, which is what you want as coaches, but the players we have brought into start have been training well, will bring a real motivation to make the most of their opportunity and will suit the challenge we face against a tough and physical South African team."
England: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Mike Brown, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Alex Corbisiero.
Replacements: 16 David Paice, 17 David Wilson, 18 Mako Vunipola, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 James Haskell, 21 Danny Care, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Jonathan Joseph.
Date: Saturday 24 November
Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London
Kick-off: 14:30 GMT (16:30 SA time)
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Television match official: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Comments
APV1 says...
@ ArmchairGeneral - easy now, don't have an accident.
Posted 11:06 23rd November 2012
GoWalesGo says...
yster
It's a joke FFS
Posted 09:04 23rd November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Funny to note Youngs and Corbi are two of our 5 most caped players. I've got over my anger on last week. Lancaster really has brought in a new squad. Bound to need some time. Saw Morgan got 3 tries in LV on Sat. Feel he and Launch plus Corbi just might turn the pack around... Oh dear I'm getting excited again!
Posted 21:07 22nd November 2012
Jako says...
@"Chubbylugs says...
I think 6 and 7 are just number to be honest. The boks play 6 at open side as do the French, so I don't think it means much. Wood is a better open side than robshaw, but think its either flanking left and right or irrelevant"
then dont think numbers. what's known as a "7" is an "openside" and 6 "blindisde" (this refers to the side of the scrum they form at. and they DO have significantly different roles.
Posted 18:43 22nd November 2012
NHsaints says...
Well selection (injury) issues aside this is a really strong side and I'd expect no less than a win, we really have to start winning games, we can't keep going on about experience or missed selection chances because this is the strongest side we can field at the moment. Obviously Hartley will take over from youngs and Lawes from Parling when injuries are done with and hopefully Ben Foden will be reinstated as fullback or wing when he returns (the backline has looked almost lost without him). Thank god Wood is finally back, he's really going to cause the SA backrow some trouble at the lineout and in the loose, and as he showed last week Pienaar and Lambie can't take even a second too long to clear or decide because otherwise he'll be all over them, all day.
Posted 17:22 22nd November 2012
sirtidychris says...
Robshaw needs to up his game, he was awesome in the summer but against the ozzies he looked very slow with little/no impact in the contact area,. Robshaw may need a rest or some pressure on his shirt because i feel he should be benched after last week with 6) haskell 8)Morgan 7)Wood.
Posted 17:19 22nd November 2012
zambokke says...
@gingergenius
English?
Posted 16:01 22nd November 2012
BokAvenger says...
@Yster: because fools like you take it hook, line and sinker every time :-)
Posted 15:43 22nd November 2012
longstopped says...
England will only start to be sucessful again once they stop pick has beens and get a back row that is the equal of the SB and AB's Waldrom won't even make selection for thge AB's and as for Ben Morgan, well Wales would not want him either. Amirtage would be better than both of them and you have a 8 in Easter who of late is playing some of his best rugby,
Posted 15:18 22nd November 2012
Bigspottedcat says...
Big Smile on his face....
He won't be smiling on Saturday after he meets the Springboks.
Posted 15:17 22nd November 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Hey Joe, bapitism of fire Dude!
Posted 14:43 22nd November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Ok down to the players. Must win. Could argue for a couple of positional switches within the 15. Time to shut up re France players not selected. Poorest performers must have their EPS spot at risk for 6 nations.
Posted 14:25 22nd November 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@centre12 and @chinstan - partly agree with you both
I think that a win is a win and should be taken, I also think that there is nothing wrong with grinding out a win if it is won by good execution of a game plan rather than a valiant rearguard spawning a few lucky points.
That said, before the Australia game, I would have backed England to win, if the game was repeated on Saturday, I would still back England to win. That England failed to win against them was a lesson that I'd rather that they learned now than in an RWC QF.
Posted 13:59 22nd November 2012
Chubbylugs says...
I think 6 and 7 are just number to be honest. The boks play 6 at open side as do the French, so I don't think it means much. Wood is a better open side than robshaw, but think its either flanking left and right or irrelevant
Posted 13:50 22nd November 2012
yster says...
"@BokAvenger says...
After Saturday he'll have to change his name to Launchburied"
Why continue your poor attempts at baiting people?
Posted 13:41 22nd November 2012
TVaddict says...
Almost perfect considering injuries and the squad chosen. I'd have preferred Tuilagi at 11, Joseph at 13, and Brown at 15. I think Flood plays his best rugby with Youngs at 9 which probably edged his selection over Care. This is a slightly more defensive selection, but the added bulk of Wood and Launchbury should help us gain some parity in the forwards. However, we are not going to win this by getting parity alone so we need so good attacking phases put together. I thought our attack was pretty good at times in the summer, and we have some strong gainline winners in our back line so we shouldn't be afraid to play a bit more. Please no stupid kicking. Please.
@gingergenius
I'm liking the look of that team, the great thing about it is how many names you missed out which would also look great in there. Names like Sharples, Twelvetrees, Yarde, May, Garvey, etc...
Posted 13:26 22nd November 2012
yster says...
Who?
Posted 13:23 22nd November 2012
Jediboy says...
I agree that Care is better than Youngs. I also feel for Tom Johnson. I like him as a player but I guess competing is tight.
I'm hoping for a better performance. It needs to be.
Posted 13:08 22nd November 2012
lawynd says...
@MDCU2584 - look back at the stats for the South Africa tour and you'll see that Parling is our top lineout target and has the highest tackle count. It wouldn't surprise me to see that the same stats are repeated so far in the last two games, either. He's a reasonably effective ball carrier too - not flashy like Lawes but you need a grafter who can do the basics too. By your reckoning (and others), Martin Johnson would never have made the England team!
Posted 12:53 22nd November 2012
Tesh says...
Great picture of Launchbury heading up this article..
Posted 12:36 22nd November 2012