Australia v England - second test

[Mellsblue]

TEAM
15. Freddie Steward
14. Jack Nowell
13. Guy Porter
12. Owen Farrell
11. Tommy Freeman
10. Marcus Smith
9. Jack van Poortlviet
1. Ellis Genge
2. Jamie George
3. Will Stuart
4. Maro Itoje
5. Jonny Hill
6. Courtney Lawes (C)
7. Sam Underhill
8. Billy Vunipola

Finishers
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie
17. Mako Vunipola
18. Joe Heyes
19. Ollie Chessum
20. Lewis Ludlam
21. Jack Willis
22. Danny Care
23. Henry Arundell

Freeman for Coka
Porter for Marchant
JVP for Care
Underhill for Curry
6:2 bench

[Mellsblue]

[p/d]

6/2 split and Freeman and Porter in. Just a shame at the expense of Marchant rather than Smith or Farrell. Otherwise - Hill aside - step forward

[fivepointer]

Porter may surprise me but i dont see him as a better player than either Marchant or Dingwall. Big test for him along with JVP and Freeman.
I thought Willis might start.
Dont like a 6:2 bench.

[Beasties]

Marchant out. Textbook Eddie. The one player no one was seeing a problem with after the first test. He’s become that predictable.

[Mikey Brown]

For fucks sake. He just likes being different for the sake of it doesn’t he.

And that Wright c**t is playing for Aus.

[p/d]

Marchant out. Textbook Eddie. The one player no one was seeing a problem with after the first test. He’s become that predictable.

13 shirt to carry the can until Smith/Farrell gel.

[FKAS]

Marchant out. Textbook Eddie. The one player no one was seeing a problem with after the first test. He’s become that predictable.

13 shirt to carry the can until Smith/Farrell gel.

Marchant will probably be back in for the third test. This looks like Eddie checking out a potential squad utility option who's also dual qualified. In a limited world cup squad a player who can play 11/12/13/14 is pretty useful. Porter has also had offers to return to Australia, which he thankfully turned down.

For a struggling attack Porter offers a more direct runner who's still got some nifty footwork.

JVP is the real surprise. He got all of 2 mins in the last test but is now starting this one.

[Oakboy]

I thought the team was just a MB wind-up till I checked.

[Oakboy]

I'm now thinking back to Banquo being told by Tigers fans on here that JVP wasn't ready to start for Leicester in big matches. He's come a long way in a few weeks.

[Oakboy]

If I could make one change after the 1st test, it would be to dump Farrell or Smith. If I had two changes I'd start LCD at 2. I reckon I'd be on about option seven or eight before I'd drop Marchant.

[Mellsblue]

I thought the team was just a MB wind-up till I checked.

Apols.

[Gloskarlos]

If I could make one change after the 1st test, it would be to dump Farrell or Smith. If I had two changes I'd start LCD at 2. I reckon I'd be on about option seven or eight before I'd drop Marchant.

Three changes Lawes wouldn't be anywhere near the back row.

[Scrumhead]

Porter may surprise me but i dont see him as a better player than either Marchant or Dingwall. Big test for him along with JVP and Freeman.
I thought Willis might start.
Dont like a 6:2 bench.

I don’t think anyone other than Eddie does. These just feels like panic-driven changes that ignore the real problems.

As everyone else has said, why would Marchant be the fall guy here? Perhaps he didn’t shoot the lights out last weekend, but he was one of our better players in attack and in defence. Ridiculous.

I’m tired of defending this shit.

[Oakboy]

There's something contrary about starting Freeman ahead of Arundell after last week but naming the latter on the bench as one of only two backs.

[Mellsblue]

Should’ve also added that Nowell is seemingly cover for 13, unless the Jones seeing Freeman as a 13 rumours are true. Nowell certainly has the pace for it

[Epaminondas Pules]

TEAM
15. Freddie Steward
14. Jack Nowell
13. Guy Porter
12. Owen Farrell
11. Tommy Freeman
10. Marcus Smith
9. Jack van Poortlviet
1. Ellis Genge
2. Jamie George
3. Will Stuart
4. Maro Itoje
5. Jonny Hill
6. Courtney Lawes (C)
7. Sam Underhill
8. Billy Vunipola

Finishers
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie
17. Mako Vunipola
18. Joe Heyes
19. Ollie Chessum
20. Lewis Ludlam
21. Jack Willis
22. Danny Care
23. Henry Arundell

Freeman for Coka
Porter for Marchant
JVP for Care
Underhill for Curry
6:2 bench

Well I wasn't expecting that. Marchant is the one that perplexes me. Well, and the 6:2 split. If he wanted to tie Porter in he just brings him on last week at 79 mins like JVP. Talking of JVP, he's not (IMO) ready, but I'm kind of excited to see him start. Seems odd to change 9 mind. Any backs injury outside of the back three will be.....interesting. Nowell in one I guess.

And yeah 6:2 is odd. Not a fan to start with.

I can only think with some of these that there's injuries or COVID that we're not aware of. Or of course it is Eddie. Marchant is the one that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Still, happy to see Willis get on and more of Arundell and Chessum.

[Oakboy]

Throughout Jones's era, I've wondered whether the other coaches have any say in selection. This team is so consistent with selection peculiarities that I'd guess the answer is 'no'.

[p/d]

If I could make one change after the 1st test, it would be to dump Farrell or Smith. If I had two changes I'd start LCD at 2. I reckon I'd be on about option seven or eight before I'd drop Marchant.

Three changes Lawes wouldn't be anywhere near the back row.

I agree. Plus the (c) would be after Genge’s name

[Banquo]

Dingwall rolled an ankle so wasn’t available even if in consideration. Assume Marchant crocked too and likely Coka tbh. Good to see JVP start and Freeman

[Puja]

Last week, Porter was so untrusted that he didn't even get off the bench. This week he's starting ahead of Marchant. Must've been a hell of a set of training sessions.

I'm now thinking back to Banquo being told by Tigers fans on here that JVP wasn't ready to start for Leicester in big matches. He's come a long way in a few weeks.

I'm very nervous for him. Supremely promising player, yes. Ready for international rugby? Umm, not sure.

Randall appears to have shat in Eddie's coffee at some point.

Puja

[FKAS]

I'm now thinking back to Banquo being told by Tigers fans on here that JVP wasn't ready to start for Leicester in big matches. He's come a long way in a few weeks.

Yeah I would have thought he'd be part of the plans post world cup personally. It's not that we thought he couldn't play in the big matches for Tigers, he did a great job Vs Clermont and Saints in the semi final, it's more that Borthwick likes to play a certain style of tactics that suit Wigglesworth's box kicking for big games.

[jimKRFC]

Randall appears to have shat in Eddie's coffee at some point.

Good. He always came back from England broken or in terrible form. The fewer Bristol players have anything to do with EJ's England the better to be honest.

[Oakboy]

Dingwall rolled an ankle so wasn’t available even if in consideration. Assume Marchant crocked too and likely Coka tbh. Good to see JVP start and Freeman

That doesn't gel with Jones saying, "We have decided to make changes in our backline, they were tough calls but we feel they will strengthen the team."

I'd still like to know how much 'we' goes into the decisions!0

[Which Tyler]

I can only think with some of these that there's injuries or COVID that we're not aware of. Or of course it is Eddie. Marchant is the one that sticks out like a sore thumb.

I'm choosing to believe that Marchant caught Covid off May. It's about the only reason for dropping him that I can stomach