Former England chief Sir Clive Woodward has revealed the team he’d start against Australia at Twickenham next Saturday.
Eddie Jones made a lot of changes for the Japan clash, but Woodward has wrote in his latest column that he expects the team to be similar to that which faced the All Blacks.
“For me the starting team against New Zealand is still England’s Gun XV, I wouldn’t envisage much change to that.” wrote Woodward for the Mail Online.
“Chris Ashton came off with a knock and if that doesn’t clear I would have no hesitation in picking Joe Cokanasiga, who did everything asked of him against Japan and has a huge amount to offer.
“We might also, fitness permitting, see Manu Tuilagi on the bench. Psychologically, it would be good for him to get a little game time now to complete that feeling that he is back, but if there is any doubt over that calf muscle, discretion should probably be the better part of valour.”
SIR CLIVE WOODWARD’S XV to face Australia: Elliot Daly; Joe Cokanasiga, Henry Slade, Ben Te’o, Jonny May; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Ben Moon, Dylan Hartley, Kyle Sinckler; Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes; Brad Shields, Sam Underhill, Mark Wilson.