England recall Farrell against unchanged Wallabies
TWICKENHAM: Owen Farrell has been recalled by England for their clash with Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.
Farrell was rested for last weekend’s 21-8 win over Argentina at Twickenham in England’s opening November international.
But the playmaker is back at inside centre for the visit of the Wallabies as coach Eddie Jones seeks a fifth straight win over his native Australia since taking charge of England.
Elsewhere, Mike Brown’s failure to recovery from the concussion he suffered against the Pumas sees Anthony Watson move across to fullback from wing, with Watson’s spot out wide taken by Jonny May, now fit following a hamstring strain.
In the pack, Joe Launchbury was selected at lock alongside Courtney Lawes after George Kruis was dropped.
Powerhouse forward Maro Itoje, who like fellow British and Irish Lion Farrell was rested against Argentina, is on the bench.
“I have selected the strongest 23 to play Australia and we will have to be effective in everything we do this weekend to win,” said Jones as he named his side on Thursday.
Farrell, reduced to the role of waterboy against the Pumas, is now set to resume his role as first-choice goal-kicker in place of scrum-half George Ford while acting as deputy to captain Dylan Hartley.
Kruis’s reputation as a lineouts specialist was not enough to save him from being dropped, with Lawes now set to run that set-piece for England.
Australia come into the match fresh from a 29-21 win over Wales in Cardiff and Jones said: “This is going to be a great challenge, as we know Australia have been in great form towards the end of their season.
SAME AUSSIE XV
Meanwhile, Michael Cheika retained the starting XV that beat Wales last weekend for Saturday’s clash with England when the Wallabies hope to end a four-match losing run against the hosts.
Flanker Michael Hooper will captain the side in which prop Sekope Kepu win his 90th cap.
Former skipper and seasoned hooker Stephen Moore -- due to retire from test rugby at the end of the tour -- could become the seventhmost capped player of all time with 128 if he comes on for Tatafu Polotanau during the match.
Cheika’s side, emboldened by their 29-21 victory over the Welsh last Saturday, will be seeking to record their first win over England since the pool match in the 2015 World Cup.
Anthony Watson; Jonny May; Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell, Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Nathan Hughes, Sam Underhill, Chris Robshaw; Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury; Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley (capt), Mako Vunipola Replacements: Jamie George, Joe Marler, Harry Williams, Maro Itoje, Sam Simmonds, Danny Care, Henry Slade, Semesa Rokoduguni
Kurtley Beale; Marika Koroibete, Tevita Kuridrani, Samu Kerevi, Reece Hodge; Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Sean Mcmahon, Michael Hooper (capt), Ned Hanigan; Adam Coleman, Rob Simmons; Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-nau, Scott Sio Replacements (one to be omitted, 16-24): Stephen Moore, Tom Robertson, Allan Alaalatoa, Matt Philip, Ben Mccalman, Lopeti Timani, Nick Phipps, Karmichael Hunt, Henry Speight