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Sale and England fly-half Danny Cipriani has claimed that not one current member of the Australia side would get into the England starting line-up for this weekend’s crucial Rugby World Cup encounter at Twickenham that will decide the host nation’s fate in the tournament.
Cipriani was axed from the England squad at the final cut as he missed out on a place in Stuart Lancaster’s 31-man squad, with George Ford and Owen Farrell taking the fly-half responsibilities with Henry Slade and Alex Goode providing cover.
That decision not to include the Sale playmaker led to him appearing – and impressing – in the TV studio as he delved into the world of rugby punditry, but is declaration that not one Wallaby would make it into the red rose is a bold one to say the least.
With defeat not an option if England are to progress from Pool A, Lancaster may wish to be able to call on some of the talents available to his opposite number, Michael Cheika, for selection this weekend.
Lancaster: England 'must win' Here, we pick our first choice XV made up from the two starting line-ups this weekend.
Show all 15 1 /15England vs Australia combined XV England vs Australia combined XV 15. Mike Brown Israel Folau would waltz into most sides in the world, but on current form you can’t look beyond Brown. Both players are phenomenal in the air and cancel out each other’s strong area, but given England have struggled so far it’s more than impressive to see Brown top of the clean breaks statistics as well as having the second most metres gained at the end of the second round of pool fixtures. Possibly the tightest call for any position, but that’s because both are currently performing at a world class level.
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England vs Australia combined XV 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper Anthony Watson has the x-factor when it comes to finishing tries, but Ashley-Cooper remains Mr Dependable for the Wallabies. His versatility sees him capable of playing across the back line and he is not too bad at finishing himself, as his 33 tries in 109 Test appearances proves. The 31-year-old is also a big game player who saves his best for the most important matches…like this weekend, perhaps?
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England vs Australia combined XV 13. Jonathan Joseph Rushed back from a pectoral injury due to his importance to England’s apparent attacking philosophy, Joseph has the ability to break any defence in the world and the footwork every player dreams of. His opposite number, Tevita Kuridrani, is of the sizeable style of centres and at nearly two metres tall and over 100kg, he could be turned inside out by the elusive Joseph.
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England vs Australia combined XV 12. Matt Gitaeu Imagine if England had a player with the attacking ability and creativity of Giteau. The veteran centre has the intelligence to pick apart defences and the talent to execute it, not to mention the quality that marks him out as one of the best to have played the game. Faced up with the threat of Brad Barrit, Giteau is a gimme in this team, but the question is can he work his way around England’s defensive linchpin on Saturday?
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England vs Australia combined XV 11. Jonny May May has saved his best form for when it matters most, as he made a swift start to open his account against Wales. With sheer pace and an eye for the try line, Australia will want to give him a little ball as possible, and he beats off competition from Rob Horne – who could be targeted by the English as a weak link in Wallaby back line.
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England vs Australia combined XV 10. Owen Farrell Perhaps harsh on Bernard Foley, but Farrell simply doesn’t put in bad performances in the England shirt. His 100 per cent kicking record against Wales went a long way to remind fans of this – and add weight to the question of why didn’t England go for the draw – and while Foley offers more with the ball in hand, Farrell is capable of kicking teams out of a match single-handedly.
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England vs Australia combined XV 9. Ben Youngs It’s a question of which scrum-half will find their best, and in recent form you’d back Youngs to do so over the highly talented Will Genia. Youngs overcame a nightmare start to the World Cup to get back to somewhere near his best against Wales until injury struck him. Genia has the potential to be world class, but he has struggled for consistency in recent years, and that sees the resurgent Youngs take the No 9 shirt.
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England vs Australia combined XV 1. Scott Sio England’s front-row would expect to be a shoe-in against the Wallabies, but not with Sio around. The Brumbies’ loose-head prop is a major reason why the Wallabies can now boast something of a scrum resistance, and they will hope that the perceived weakness will be non-existent when they collide on Saturday.
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England vs Australia combined XV 2. Tom Youngs Another difficult choice between Youngs and Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore, but this time it’s more of a case of the best of a bad bunch. Neither Youngs nor Moore would fit in to a World XV on current form, and both have questionable records in the lineout. Youngs’ work with the ball in hand and in defence sees him steal the shirt.
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England vs Australia combined XV 3. Dan Cole Cole remains England’s cornerstone in the scrum who also fancies himself as a bit of a back-row when he sees a chance of a turnover at a ruck. His battle with Sio will be one to watch for the traditionalists, and he has the better of opposite number Sekope Kepu for the tight-head spot.
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England vs Australia combined XV 4. Joe Launchbury Neither side’s second-rows can boast a fantastic start to the campaign, and had Rob Simmons been starting in the No 4 shirt, he would have taken the shirt. But Kane Douglas has had a less than impressive World Cup so far and Launchbury gets the nod on the mistakes he hasn’t made – simply because he hasn’t played that much. If the Wasps man can find any of his 2014 form, he’ll justify his selection.
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England vs Australia combined XV 5. Geoff Parling Parling has gone from the unlucky third wheel in the lock department to England’s must-have forward due to his ability to run the lineout. England suffered when Parling was not able to run the set-piece against Wales late on, and a confessed geek when it comes to the lineout, he could prove to be the difference in an area of perceived weakness.
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England vs Australia combined XV 6. Tom Wood Wood is quietly putting his hand up to be England’s player of the World Cup. His work rate with and without the ball is phenomenal, and he offers an extra option in the lineout that is more than reliable. He comes up against Australia’s Scott Fardy this weekend and will hope to get the better of him in order to have a go at ‘Pooper’, who need no introduction.
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England vs Australia combined XV 7. Michael Hooper The younger half of Australia’s feared back-row combination, Hooper’s agility and sheer brilliance at the breakdown sees him oust the England captain Chris Robshaw. Hooper made his impact felt at Twickenham last year when Australia fell short, and his war with Robshaw will certainly be fought out at 100 per cent.
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England vs Australia combined XV 8. David Pocock Australia’s ace up their sleeve sees a second natural openside start at No 8, and while it removes the impactful running offered by a traditional back-row heavyweight, it gives the Wallabies an extra edge at the breakdown. Former captain Pocock is arguably playing at his best after recovering from career-threatening knee injuries, and despite handing over the leadership role, he remains the player to watch for the Wallabies – as his two tries against Fiji proved.
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