Time for England’s Lions to step up against Australia
Saturday marks the start of the autumn internationals, with four Lions representing England in the match against Australia. At club level, meanwhile, rugby union is going through a period of upheaval.
England entertain Australia in the opening game at Twickenham, in what will be an intriguing battle, writes Juan Ruiz. England will have four first-pick Lions playing for them: Dan Cole, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola in the forwards, with fly-half Owen Farrell forming half of the back division’s fulcrum.
Lee Dickson is selected to partner Farrell at scrum half, even though Ben Youngs, with his Lions experience, might appear the logical pick. Dickson has the faster service – Youngs still has that tendency to take a step before releasing, giving his back division that split-second less time on the ball.
England will have four first-pick Lions playing: Dan Cole, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola and Owen Farrell
The rest of the pack will be made up of Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury in the second row, with retained captain Chris Robshaw at open side, Tom Wood at blind side, and Billy Vunipola, Mako’s brother, at number eight.
The midfield selection has been made difficult by the injuries to Brad Barritt and Manu Tuilagi. It means a new partnership will be used, with Billy Twelvetrees coming in alongside rugby league convert Joel Tomkins, who makes his England debut.
Winger Marland Yarde, who impressed on England’s tour of Argentina, and the revitalised Chris Ashton will form the wing duo. Ben Foden, performed well last weekend after being sent back to his club, and returns to the squad – but Mike Brown takes the full back spot.
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Another level
Stuart Lancaster’s squad has been weakened through injury in many areas, but he has enough experienced players who have played at the highest level for England to give a good account of themselves on Saturday against the weakest of the top three southern hemisphere nations.
But it is time for Dan Cole and Courtney Lawes, in the forwards, and fly-half Owen Farrell to take their game to another level and show that their experience has given them the ability to boss games and change the course of matches against top-class opposition.
They will have to step up if England are to have an outstanding autumn series, and not leave supporters deflated and wondering what might have been.
Australia’s selection, meanwhile, should worry England, as mercurial fly-half Quade Cooper returns to the side a reinvigorated man under new coach Ewen McKenzie, after being left out in the cold by predecessor Robbie Deans.
Cooper will command an exciting, if inexperienced, backline, although Lancaster’s selection of a tried and tested forward pack may show where he thinks the game should be won. Flanker Billy Vunipola is the only relative newcomer, and England may be pondering another domination of the Australian scrum – pivotal in their World Cup win 10 years ago and many times since.
Thin end of the wedge?
The autumn internationals series begins as European club rugby goes through a period of upheaval.
After last week’s meeting in Dublin of European Rugby Cup (ERC), the current governing body of the lucrative Heineken Cup, a new 20-team format was agreed, with six teams being drawn from the English Premiership, six from the French top division, and eight from the Pro12 league, which includes teams from Wales Scotland, Ireland and Italy.
The England and French don’t like the weaker leagues effectively being funded by Europe’s elite competition.
This row has always been about money, and the revenue split was agreed at one-third each for each of the three competitions, while the contentious issues were awkwardly kicked down the road for another 18 months. TV rights have been promised both to Sky and BT Sports – by ERC to Sky and by English Premiership to BT Sports. The lawyers are due for a large payday.
ERC, made up of representatives from the international unions, insists that it must still be the power broker in this competition, while the English Premiership, made up of the 12 top-flight English clubs, along with its French counterpart, is threatening to start a rival cup competition run by the clubs, for the clubs. The English and French don’t like the weaker leagues effectively being funded by Europe’s elite competition.
It is an unseemly if predictable scramble for power, with the governing bodies of the six nations realising that if the clubs get their way, this could be the thin end of the wedge. People might begin to see their usefulness in the game as limited to providing disciplinary services and appointing referees.