Five England changes Eddie Jones should consider for Japan clash
Rugby NewsSunday, 06 November 2022 at 17:46
England made a sobering start to their autumn campaign as Argentina shocked an 80,000-strong Twickenham crowd with an audacious and deserved 30-29 victory.
England led 16-12 at half-time, but Emiliano Boffelli and Santiago Carreras crossed in quick succession to turn the game on its head.
Head coach Eddie Jones will clearly need to make changes with five quick fixes available to the Aussie in our opinion.
Changes Eddie Jones should make
#1. Billy Vunipola
Billy Vunipola of England during the Autumn Nations Series Match between England and Argentina at Twickenham Stadium on 6 November 2022. Photo: Frankie OKeeffe/PPAUK
Telegraph 5/10: "Stripped in the tackle leading to an Argentina counter-attack and had three more spills. England need more from his offloading game."
Rugby Pass 5/10: "Ate his fair share of the hard yards and looks fitter. Couldn’t find much change in the Argie pack however."
Replacement: A fit again Alex Dombrandt or Sam Simmonds
Billy Vunipola facts:
- Vunipola was born in Sydney in Australia to Tongan parents, but moved to Wales with his family as a young child after his father Feʻao Vunipola signed for Pontypool RFC in 1998
- While at Harrow School, Vunipola joined the Wasps Academy
- Vunipola's father is former Tonga captain Fe'ao Vunipola and his mother, Iesinga Vunipola, a Methodist minister in High Wycombe
#2. Alex Coles
Telegraph 5/10: "Mixed bag, summed up by a good carry before giving away a penalty in one attack."
Replacement: Jack Willis at flanker with Maro Itoje moving into the second-row
Alex Coles facts:
- Coles played rugby as a child at Newmarket and Shelford Rugby Club prior to joining the academy of Northampton Saints at the age of fourteen
- He is the son of two vicars
- He is an undergraduate in politics, philosophy and history at Birkbeck College
#3. Marcus Smith
Owen Farrell, Captain of England during the Autumn Nations Series Match between England and Argentina at Twickenham Stadium on 6 November 2022. Photo: Frankie OKeeffe/PPAUK
Rugby Pass 5/10: "Smith isn’t built for inclement weather and struggled to play his way into the game in the first 40. "
Replacement: Henry Slade with Owen Farrell moving to 10.
Marcus Smith facts:
- Born in the Philippines to a British father and a Filipina mother, Smith started playing rugby union at the age of seven for Centaurs RFC when his family moved to Singapore
- He moved to the United Kingdom at the age of thirteen and subsequently received a sports scholarship to attend Brighton College, where he captained the school's 1st XV
- He started in the Premiership final against Exeter Chiefs on 26 June 2021 as Harlequins won the game 40–38 in the highest scoring Premiership final ever, which included four conversions from Smith's boot
#4. Ben Youngs
Ben Youngs of England during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Australia at Twickenham on 13 November 2021. Photo: Micah Crook/PPAUK
I-News 5/10: "The Ben Youngs haters will have loved this one. Was visibly slow compared to Jack van Poortvliet’s arrival. His inventive chip kick from base off ruck almost resulted in a Marcus Smith try and the ensuing scrum led to Cokanasiga’s try. But it’s clear that JvP or Raffi Quirke are the nines to turn to with a World Cup on the horizon."
Evening Standard 5/10: "Struggled to put England on the front foot around the fringes,"
Replacements: Jack Van Poortvliet
Ben Youngs facts:
- Youngs has been a Premiership Rugby champion five times, winning in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and in 2022.
- His father Nick Youngs played scrum-half for both Leicester and England
- Youngs is married to Charlotte. They have two children, son Boris and daughter Billie
#5. Jack Nowell
Jack Nowell, Vice Captain of England and Emiliano Boffelli of Argentina during the Autumn Nations Series Match between England and Argentina at Twickenham Stadium on 6 November 2022. Photo: Frankie OKeeffe/PPAUK
Rugby Pass 5/10: "He coughed up a costly fumble in the 73rd minute."
I-News 5/10: " Quiet-ish first half as Cokanasiga took the ball and the headlines. He was caught exposed too and too narrow in defence for Argentina’s opening try."
Telegraph 5/10: "Wants to be involved off his wing but had limited touches with ball in hand compared to Cokanasiga and just doesn’t feel like England are making the most of him."
Replacement: Jonny May, Adam Radwan, Cadan Murley or Ollie Hassell-Collins (There are probable a few more)
Jack Nowell Facts:
- Nowell was originally a product of the Cornish Pirates junior section
- His position of choice is wing but he can also play as a Full-Back or Outside Centre
- Nowell was called up for the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, becoming the first player to be selected from Exeter Chiefs by the Lions
RUCK's suggested England XV to face Japan: Steward, Cokanasiga, Slade, Tuilagi, May, Farrell, van Poortvliet; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Hill, Itoje, Willis, Curry, Dombrandt
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