Courtney Lawes was named England captain on Thursday for the Rose XV’s first Test match against Australia on Saturday, while scrum-half Danny Care and third line Billy Vunipola return to the 23-man list players lined up in Perth.
Owen Farrell, starting in the center,was not very happy“Not to have been named captain, admitted the coach of the English, Eddie Jones. “We want Owen to be at his best, despite being injured for a long time. These three matches against Australia are a good opportunity for him to play again and give his best» explained Jones.
Since 2018, fly-half Owen Farrell has been part of the England squad. But, injured in an ankle, he could not be aligned during the 2022 Six Nations tournament, which England finished in third place. For his part, “Lawes is dedicated, calm, open. This is the right choice for this tour“Jones continued.
Joe Cokanasiga and Jack Nowell line up on the wings, Farrell and Joe Marchant at center, and Freddie Steward at fullback. Vunipola had not been called up since March 2021 while Care’s last selection dated back to 2018.
He was preferred to Harry Randall at scrum half to form the hinge with fly half Marcus Smith. Winger Jonny May, England’s second-highest try-scorer after Rory Underwood, is not in the 23-man squad after contracting Covid-19 on arrival in Perth last week. England have won their last eight Test matches against the Wallabies since the 2015 World Cup.
Composition of the England squad: Steward – Nowell, Marchant, Farrell, Cokanasiga – (o) Smith, (m) Care – Curry, B. Vunipola, Lawes (cap) – Hill, Itoje – Stuart, George, Genge
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M. Vunipola, Heyes, Chessum, Ludlam, van Poortlviet, Porter, Arundell