England v Australia 'Cook Cup' 29/11/14 -Pre Match Thoughts

Well this is it the final QBE Autumn International Test playing for the 'Cook Cup' and it is a match England just have to win to give any credence to their ambition of winning the RWC2015. 

COOK CUP

QBE Autumn International

England v Australia

29th November 2014 - Twickenham

(kick-off 2.30pm, live on Sky Sports HD 2)

George Ford is retained at fly half and Owen Farrell has been dropped to the bench  making way for Billy Twelvetrees who is making his first start of the Autumn Internationals.  Up front, Northampton Saints pair Tom Wood and Dylan Hartley take over from James Haskell (Wasps) and Rob Webber (Bath Rugby) at blindside flanker and hooker respectively.

Billy Twelvetrees - all pictures paimages

In my opinion it won't harm Farrell to be on the bench and I would have had him on the bench last week.  This should make him a want the shirt more and hopefully knock a bit of the petulance out of his game. Twelvetrees deserves his chance again, he is an excellent player and I hope we see him shine this weekend.

Australia have a number of injuries so much so they are unable to provide a bench of replacements as yet.  I think Australia are there for the taking but England will have to play better than last week and for goodness sake guys focus for the full 80 mins please!

Head Coach Stuart Lancaster praised Twelvetrees for his committed self-development over the current campaign and had this to say:- “It’s good to be able to give Billy his first start of the series," he said. “He took on board the feedback we gave him when he first came into camp and he has worked hard both with us and at Gloucester and deserves his chance.  “Owen is a key part of our squad and will offer a huge amount from the bench.”

“The Samoa game gave us the opportunity to give James and Rob a start and they made a good contribution. Tom and Dylan were disappointed not to be in the XV against Samoa.  “They are desperate to go out and perform on Saturday to help us finish the series on a high.”

England: Mike Brown (Harlequins); Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby) Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby); George Ford (Bath Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), David Wilson (Bath Rugby), Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby).

Replacements: Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Matt Mullan (Wasps), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), George Kruis (Saracens), James Haskell (Wasps), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Marland Yarde (Harlequins).

Australia: Israel Folau, Henry Speight, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Toomua, Rob Horne, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Ben McCalman, Michael Hooper (captain), Sean McMahon, Rob Simmons, Sam Carter, Sekope Kepu, Saia Fainga'a, James Slipper.

Replacements:  reserves bench to be confirmed later.