Debut: Billy Twelvetrees
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Uncapped Gloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees will start for England against Scotland at Twickenham.
Twelvetrees comes in for Manu Tuilagi, while Joe Marler replaces Alex Corbisiero in two changes from the side that started against New Zealand.
Dylan Hartley, Toby Flood and David Strettle come on to the replacements' bench for David Paice, Freddie Burns and Jonathan Joseph respectively.
"We are happy to stick with the team that did so well against New Zealand, especially in light of the fact that they have all been in good form for their clubs since then," said England head coach Stuart Lancaster.
"There were some very tight calls, with some experienced players coming back into contention, and I am sure the bench will have a significant impact on the game.
"We can't wait to get back to Twickenham and hopefully experience the same atmosphere as the autumn when the crowd was superb. It means a lot to the players to have such support in the ground and watching on television."
England: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Brad Barritt, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Mike Brown, 10 Owen Farrell, 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 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 David Wilson, 18 Mako Vunipola, 19 Courtney Lawes 20 James Haskell, 21 Danny Care, 22 Toby Flood, 23 David Strettle.
Date: Saturday, 2 February
Venue: Twickenham
Kick-off: 16:00 GMT
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garces (France), Francisco Pastrana (Argentina)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Comments
jamesliveinhope says...
If I may make an observation - International Rugby is not club rugby, any proper international fan would take a 3 - nil victory over a 52 - 49 defeat. Because of that, coaches have to create a squad and team to win in the best way that they can, (even the ABs play a much more conservative game against tier 1 opposition). They have no worries about burn out or squad rotation, and no fear of "the quality of product" turning fans away (ask a Welshman if they'd rather see champagne rugby or a win vs England).
Brad Barritt is selected to do a job, appears to enjoy that job and is bl00dy good at that job. It may not be what we particularly exciting to watch, but if we'd rather see a Shane Williams defending Jamie Roberts' channel then we have to expect that the results might not always go our way.
It might not be what we want to see but if it gets us the GS then I'd be delighted.
I cannot believe I have stuck up for two Sarries players in as many days.
Posted 13:50 31st January 2013
Centre12 says...
SL certainly isn't stupid, despite picking Strettle over the likes of Varndell, Wade, Biggs, May etc........... well even the best of us have brain farts every now and again. I would imagine he doesn't want to dramatically change what was a winning formula against the AB's and shifting Barritt to #13 for the inclusion of 12Trees is a safer option than playing Barritt at #12 and JJ at #13 regarding form especially. I honestly feel that 12Trees will make the #12 shirt his own by the end of the 6N's with Barritt providing cover for #12 & #13, Tuilagi will reclaim his #13 shirt and JJ will probably be on the bench to cover #13 #11 #14.
@rugby_rockstar
3/7's of me actually agree with you, however the other 4/7's think your bonkers
9, Danny Care - Form dependent with Youngs, each deserve game time
10, Alex Goode - Has been tried at 10 for Sarries, unsuccessful!!!!!! and you would have him over Farrell and Burns?????
11, Varndel - Agree
12, Flood / Twelvetrees - Flood has simply not got the minerals at Test level, he'll just about do a job but won't win you a WC
13, Tuilagi - Agree
14, Sharples - Tried and tested at Test level, has failed to deliver time and time again, just like Strettle
15, Eastmond - Doesn't even play #15 for Bath and you want him to start for England???????
Posted 13:45 31st January 2013
sirtidychris says...
Great team, Twelvetrees is the future, get him in at 12 and start giving him experience in his best position, we all know what Barrit can do so we need Twelvetrees to show his worth for when Tuilagi comes back for the next game. The 10,12,13 paring is very reminiscent of Wilkinson, Greenwood and Tindall. Young consumate professional fly half with great defense and kicking skills, big blonde playmaker at 12 and a solid bosher with great defense at 13.
Rockstar I actually agree that Goode could have been a world beater at flyhalf, he has an amazing rugby brain and looks like he has soo much time on the ball with fantastic distribution skills, he has left it too late im afraid though and has been developed at 15.
I'm actually really nervous about the scotland game, the team on paper looks amazing, they will be massively up for this and have nothing to lose and everything to gain, meanwhile english fans are sounding a little bit too complacent for my liking.
Posted 12:52 31st January 2013
PREEST says...
They should put Topsy Ojo in the starting line up...
Posted 12:30 31st January 2013
ramm83 says...
@rugby rockstar - With that backline I'm glad you'e not in charge of England... ;)
Overall, I think this looks like a strong team. Personally, I'd like to see Care starting (Quins bias, me?). Also, suprised Foden didn't make the bench over Strettle... Is there something I don't know?
Posted 12:25 31st January 2013
lawynd says...
@rugby_rockstar - I seem to recall that Goode demanded playing time at 10 for Saracens a couple of years ago, before Hodgson was on the books and when Farrell was presumably still doing his GCSEs. He got quite a decent stretch - from memory, their other flyhalf option (Derrick Hougaard?) was injured - and never convinced in the role as he couldn't cope with the lack of decision-making time. I could possibly see him as a 12 (I don't believe he is a better than Twelvetrees though) but not as a 10.
I wonder if we might not at some point in the future see our four primary centre options as Brad Barritt (defence, crash ball), Billy Twelvetrees (distribution, kicking), Manu Tuilagi (crash ball, offload (needs work!)) and Joel Tomkins (step, offload), a pretty well-rounded group would all work well with the others. Elliot Daly is probably the only other name that I think is worth getting excited about, I don't rate Joseph in the slightest.
Posted 12:16 31st January 2013
bullitt says...
Eastman over Foden?
I'll have a pint of whatever you're drinking.
Posted 12:12 31st January 2013
TVaddict says...
@jestnation
We have loads of good outside centres including Tuilagi, Joseph, Daly, Tomkins, Lowe, Trinder and to some extent Eastmond. It's a strong position for us but management don't seem to get on with many of them. Maybe they're too fast?
Anyway, best team considering the 23 picked. Obviously I'd have preferred most players to Strettle, and I think Ashton has been given too many chances to perform, but this is a pretty strong team. I'm glad Hartley hasn't got his starting position back yet and I hope he doesn't till he puts in a really strong performance.
England by 5.
Posted 12:06 31st January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
I know its important that England don't try to run when they are barely walking but its kinda grates a bit to see a such slow back line. we just have to be patient.
There now follows the obligatory Brad Barrit bash:
I'm kinda not seeing the point of brad barritt, he fumbles a pass from Manu, just about catches it and falls over the try line and suddenly he must be fitted into the england back line no matter what. Everyone's done the JJ issue to death but seeing it in black and white I wonder about how sharp england's teeth are. I think London Irish's defensive record has blotted JJ's copy book.
I'm glad Flood isn't starting because I don't think this england selection would be able to play Flood's game. We've been saying it for two months but england will fly or fall depending on whether they can repeat the NZ performance.
Just beware of Visser and Hogg's pace. Especially as it's going to be cold but dry conditions on Saturday.
Here's a freaky future alternative backline that I'd play if some raving idiot put me in charge.
9, Danny Care
10, Alex Goode
11, Varndel
12, Flood / Twelvetrees
13, Tuilagi
14, Sharples
15, Eastman
Freaky huh.
Why Goode at ten? Pace, passing and foot work. He's hasn't the pace to rival world class Full Backs. But his foot work and passing screams for including in a playmaking capasity. Sticking him at Full back is a step in the right direction, getting him in at 10 / 12 is a leap in the right direction. Still, I think Lancaster is being far more sensible than I am.
Posted 11:55 31st January 2013
APV1 says...
Not bad at all. I might have started Haskell instead of Morgan, but no biggie. We've got (almost) the best 15 from the 23 available on the pitch. We all know that the 23 isn't the best we have - either injury, or non-selection - but they're a good bunch.
We should (!?) win and, I hope, quite comfortably. We're only as good as our last match, some would say. How were we in that?
@ carpelone - are you suggesting ours are all mediocre?
@ ben7 - he is. Marler's starting with Mako on the bench.
Posted 11:46 31st January 2013
Haldir says...
Yes! will be interesting to see how BB works with him
Posted 11:34 31st January 2013
markpat says...
@carpelone, England have plenty of good options at centre, unfortunately management seem determined that our centre pairing should be as slow as possible!
Posted 11:25 31st January 2013
GCP_jones says...
Good to see Tom Youngs getting the no2 jersey, over Mr Hartley.
Posted 11:23 31st January 2013
jestnation says...
The RFU review of the game has concluded that Ebgland need a National Performance Centre.
Of more immediate importance is that fact that we need more than one outside centre.
Posted 11:21 31st January 2013
melkdave says...
Well finaly SLandCo get their wish too try two distributors at 10 and 12,who also both have a decent kicking/ running gane.Hopefully it wil spark the backline creativity and they will score more tries..Pack looks as powerfull as can be atm,with good ball carriers,who can offload and play.Also the bench looks to goodcarrying on the same policy.That said Scotland home or away is never an easy game espically 1st up,and i hope England arnt taking them lightly,as they can be as dangerous as hell.Overall im hoping its a good England victory by 7-12 points,but wont be too disappointed if its only by 1-3 points tbh.Momentum,and victory are what matters atm.
Posted 10:58 31st January 2013
IronManI441 says...
Very excited by this, but it was pretty obvious once JJ was sent back to LI. Twelvetrees is definitely on better form than JJ and I am excited to see what he can do on the big stage as he has been playing some great stuff for Gloucester and has that second playmaker ability. Pretty happy with this line-up, Brown playing out of position is a bit annoying, but he is a threat from everywhere and Lancaster was never going to drop Goode. Come on England!
Posted 10:49 31st January 2013
alextrombone94 says...
Glad Stuart Lancaster resisted the urge to bring Dylan Hartley straight back into the starting XV. Tom Youngs has played well and fully deserves his place. Will be interesting to see how Twelvetrees and Barritt work together.
Posted 10:40 31st January 2013
ben7 says...
Not bad. I thought that Corbisiero was out though. Also would have kept Barrett at 12 and had JJ at 13 but only because Barrett's so solid at 12.
I hope we dont miss Tuilagi too much.
Posted 10:31 31st January 2013
carpelone says...
England is short of good centres.
Posted 10:28 31st January 2013
bullitt says...
What dirt does Ben Youngs have on Lancaster to keep even getting selected (let alone starting ahead of Care)?
36 hopefully will add a bit more width then we've previously seen, but the constant slow ball Youngs provides means all the backs may have to sit too deep to make any space for themselves.
I hope Care gets game time before Lancaster removes him.
Posted 10:27 31st January 2013