England v Japan - 17/11/18 - Quilter International


By RugbyFan
November 16 2018

England head coach Eddie Jones has named his team to play Japan in their third Quilter International - So will England be 'Big against Japan'  I hope so!

England v Japan

Saturday 17 November - Twickenham  - 15:00 GMT - Live on Sky sports


 
There are 11 changes to the starting line up which faced New Zealand last weekend with two positional switches.    George Ford will start at fly half and captain England in his 50th match.    Jack Nowell  and Alex Lozowski  are the centre pairing while Saturday’s try-scorer Chris Ashton moves from right to left wing.    Bath winger Joe Cokanasiga will make his England debut while the uncapped apprentice Ted Hill is named as a finisher.


 
For the first time this series Danny Care will start at scrum half with Richard Wigglesworth on the bench.   There are three changes to the front row with props Alec Hepburn and Harry Williams starting alongside  hooker Jamie George. England’s starting front three against New Zealand are named as finishers.
 
Charlie Ewels  will start in the second row in place of the injured George Kruis and will partner Maro Itoje  who is named as vice-captain.
 
In other changes to the forward pack, Courtney Lawes will play blindside flanker with Mark Wilson switching from number 8 to openside flanker. Zach Mercer  will make his first start for England at number 8.

 “Japan is an important game for us as we want to get back to winning ways," said Jones. "We have also tested ourselves in having a shorter preparation. We gave the players two days off after three weeks of intensive work. We have had a short preparation but a good preparation.

“We are expecting plenty of energy, aggression and fast ball movement. They will be full of surprises, quick taps, lineouts and plays. They are going to have a bag of magic.”
 
On the squad selected Jones added: “This weekend is a good opportunity for us to test the depth of the squad. A number of players have changed their roles going from finishers to starters and starters to finishers so that is the essential change to the squad. It is exciting to be able to give starting opportunities to Zach Mercer and Joe Cokanasiga and young Ted Hill on the bench."


 

Joe Cokanasiga

On Ford as captain, he said: “It’s a wonderful moment for him and his family. Fifty caps and captaining the side is a great honour and every game he plays for England he gives his absolute best.”

 

England: Daly; Cokanasiga, Nowell, Lozowski, Ashton: Ford (Captain), Care; Hepburn, George, Williams, Ewels, Itoje, Lawes, Wilson, Mercer.

Replacements: Hartley, Moon, Sinckler, Hill, Underhill, Wigglesworth, Farrell, Slade.

Japan: Tupou; Yamada, Lafaele, Nakamura, Fukuoka; Tamura, Tanaka; Inagaki, Sakate, Koo, van der Walt, Helu, Leitch (Captain), Nishikawa, Himeno.

Replacements: Niwai, Yamamoto, Ai Valu, Anise, Tui, Nunomaki, Nagare, Matsuda.

 

 

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England v Japan - 17/11/18 - Quilter International
Discussion started by Unofficial England Rugby Union , 16/11/2018 14:32
Unofficial England Rugby Union
16/11/2018 14:32
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