Australia vs England - Third Test

[Puja]

15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)
14. Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 41 caps)
13. Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
12. Owen Farrell (Saracens, 96 caps)
11. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 12 caps)
9. Danny Care (Harlequins, 86 caps)
1. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 38 caps)
2. Jamie George (Saracens, 68 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 22 caps)
4. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
5. Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 14 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes (C) (Northampton Saints, 95 caps)
7. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 13 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 63 caps)

FINISHERS

16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 36 caps)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 69 caps)
18. Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 7 caps)
20. Jack Willis (Wasps, 3 caps)
21. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)
22. Will Joseph (London Irish, 1 cap) *apprentice player
23. Henry Arundell (London Irish, 2 caps) *apprentice player

[Mellsblue]

As p/d states on another fred, JVP is dropped to the bench. Peak Eddie gets a little more peaky every week. I’m sure he has some devastatingly clever reason behind it.
Marchant is still persona non grata.

[fivepointer]

JVP being dropped is obviously the eye catching selection. Very hard to see why that call was made given his performance last week.

[p/d]

I assume JVP struggled in training learning how to take a step before passing

[Puja]

I don't get the logic behind JVP. I am still of the opinion that he is very callow and that we were slightly lucky to get such an error-free performance last week (great player, but still learning), but given that we did drop Care and then did get such a great performance out of JVP, what is the logic behind bringing Care back?

Also, why is Marchant suddenly dead to Eddie? Leaving aside whether Porter is actually international quality or not, there's no rationale for having WJoseph over him on the bench, yet we've heard nothing about an injury or illness.

Aside from the gripes, fantastic news that Willis is back fit (even if Jeff Reece getting a cap would've been romantic with his backstory), and I'm excited to see how Chessum does with the pressure of starting.

Puja

[Puja]

As p/d states on another fred, JVP is dropped to the bench. Peak Eddie gets a little more peaky every week. I’m sure he has some devastatingly clever reason behind it.
Marchant is still persona non grata.

As we all know, finishers are more important than starters and so it follows that you want your best players on the bench. Care was promoted to the bench last week, but JVP had such a good game that he usurped him and now Care has to fight back to try and regain the coveted 21 shirt.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

As p/d states on another fred, JVP is dropped to the bench. Peak Eddie gets a little more peaky every week. I’m sure he has some devastatingly clever reason behind it.
Marchant is still persona non grata.

As we all know, finishers are more important than starters and so it follows that you want your best players on the bench. Care was promoted to the bench last week, but JVP had such a good game that he usurped him and now Care has to fight back to try and regain the coveted 21 shirt.

Puja

Has Marchant been so good that he simply gets a day off?

[FKAS]

As p/d states on another fred, JVP is dropped to the bench. Peak Eddie gets a little more peaky every week. I’m sure he has some devastatingly clever reason behind it.
Marchant is still persona non grata.

As we all know, finishers are more important than starters and so it follows that you want your best players on the bench. Care was promoted to the bench last week, but JVP had such a good game that he usurped him and now Care has to fight back to try and regain the coveted 21 shirt.

Puja

Whilst that did make me chuckle I do wonder whether we'll see an early change at scrum half. We've struggled to control the game between 50-70 mins. First half we tend to do well so let Care go full tempo in the knowledge he'll be subbed shortly after half time. He can snipe etc and generally run himself into the ground. Around the time Australia have tended to come good we bring on JVP and go more tactical though I hope we look to more of the bench that just JVP to freshen things up because his nice box kicks will require a chase that died away in the second half last week due to fatigue.

Marchant must be injured, no other reason for him to be absent from the team two weeks in a row.

Australia: Hodge, Wright, Paisami, Kerevi, Koroibete, Lolesio, White, Valetini, Hooper (capt), Wilson, Philip, Frost, Tupou, Porecki, Slipper.

Replacements: Fainga'a, Bell, Ala'alatoa, Leota, Samu, McDermott, Ikitau, Vunivalu.

[Mellsblue]

As p/d states on another fred, JVP is dropped to the bench. Peak Eddie gets a little more peaky every week. I’m sure he has some devastatingly clever reason behind it.
Marchant is still persona non grata.

As we all know, finishers are more important than starters and so it follows that you want your best players on the bench. Care was promoted to the bench last week, but JVP had such a good game that he usurped him and now Care has to fight back to try and regain the coveted 21 shirt.

Puja

Has Marchant been so good that he simply gets a day off?

I stand corrected. Suddenly, it all becomes so obvious. Chapeau Eddie.

[Oakboy]

If Marchant is injured why not announce it? If he is not injured, his reputation/status must be damaged by being behind an apprentice player for a bench spot. It makes no sense, bearing in mind he was so important that he was picked on the wing at one stage. The only logical explanation is some sort of disciplinary issue.

[Mellsblue]

First half we tend to do well

We’ve only been winning at halftime twice in 2022 and both of those were against tier 2 sides in Italy and Wales.

[FKAS]

First half we tend to do well

We’ve only been winning at halftime twice in 2022 and both of those were against tier 2 sides in Italy and Wales.

I meant in terms of this test series where we were up 19-7 last weekend and tied at 6-6 the weekend before come the interval. Whilst drawing 6-6 we should have had at least one try maybe more. We dominated the first half in the first two test and then struggled in the second half when Australia came back at us.

[twitchy]

[Mellsblue]

When we bring on the finishers to, erm, finish there will be a grand total of 19 caps of experience outside of Mako & LCD. The backs must have less than 80mins test experience between them.

[SDHoneymonster]

Marchant and Cokanasiga do appear to have been thoroughly Ollie Lawrenced, don't they?

[twitchy]

Marchant and Cokanasiga do appear to have been thoroughly Ollie Lawrenced, don't they?

Are they not injured?

[francoisfou]

Did any of us expect Eddie to pick a side without surprises? Course not! That’s why we love him so much.

[Mikey Brown]

Jones has said it’s due to Porter’s running being better against the Aus defence. Apparently Marchant only goes for outside breaks, which seems like a bizarrely simplistic view of Marchant being the fast and nimble sort, rather than someone who consistently cuts fantastic lines against the grain.

Porter has been impressive for Leicester and I can accept having a good look at him, but Joseph ahead of Marchant on the bench just seems dumb.

[Mellsblue]

Jones has said it’s due to Porter’s running being better against the Aus defence. Apparently Marchant only goes for outside breaks, which seems like a bizarrely simplistic view of Marchant being the fast and nimble sort, rather than someone who consistently cuts fantastic lines against the grain.

Porter has been impressive for Leicester and I can accept having a good look at him, but Joseph ahead of Marchant on the bench just seems dumb.

Yep, to my mind, the selection of Joseph over Marchant speaks to Eddie’s public musing being the usual level of bluster and bs.
It might also be good to use Porter’s direct running qualities a bit more if that’s why he is selected.

[SDHoneymonster]

Tbf I actually thought Porter had an impressive game last week without tearing the house down - he's got the skill set to be that sort of 'glue' player in the backline, a bit like Brad Barritt but a touch more forceful ball in hand and a bit quicker. Whether he is long term I don't know but it's not the fact he's getting an opportunity I'm slightly vexed by, it's the dropping of a couple of players who were given almost nothing to work with (and we've heard nothing about them being injured, I don't think, despite the comment up the thread?). There is only so much looking for the ball you can do before it becomes just abandoning your position.

[SDHoneymonster]

As p/d states on another fred, JVP is dropped to the bench. Peak Eddie gets a little more peaky every week. I’m sure he has some devastatingly clever reason behind it.
Marchant is still persona non grata.

As we all know, finishers are more important than starters and so it follows that you want your best players on the bench. Care was promoted to the bench last week, but JVP had such a good game that he usurped him and now Care has to fight back to try and regain the coveted 21 shirt.

Puja

Whilst that did make me chuckle I do wonder whether we'll see an early change at scrum half. We've struggled to control the game between 50-70 mins. First half we tend to do well so let Care go full tempo in the knowledge he'll be subbed shortly after half time. He can snipe etc and generally run himself into the ground. Around the time Australia have tended to come good we bring on JVP and go more tactical though I hope we look to more of the bench that just JVP to freshen things up because his nice box kicks will require a chase that died away in the second half last week due to fatigue.

Marchant must be injured, no other reason for him to be absent from the team two weeks in a row.

Australia: Hodge, Wright, Paisami, Kerevi, Koroibete, Lolesio, White, Valetini, Hooper (capt), Wilson, Philip, Frost, Tupou, Porecki, Slipper.

Replacements: Fainga'a, Bell, Ala'alatoa, Leota, Samu, McDermott, Ikitau, Vunivalu.

If you're a Fijian winger playing rugby league in Australia, you've got a Wallabies shirt waiting for you whether you want it or not.

[Scrumhead]

Jones has said it’s due to Porter’s running being better against the Aus defence. Apparently Marchant only goes for outside breaks, which seems like a bizarrely simplistic view of Marchant being the fast and nimble sort, rather than someone who consistently cuts fantastic lines against the grain.

Porter has been impressive for Leicester and I can accept having a good look at him, but Joseph ahead of Marchant on the bench just seems dumb.

Where have you seen this?

Personally, this is my single biggest annoyance on a long list for this tour. Marchant is such a good player who should be in the starting XV, let alone the 23. Porter is no more than decent and Will Joseph may turn out to be a brilliant player, but there is no way he deserves to be in the 23 ahead of Marchant on any normal measure.

[Mellsblue]

Marchant is such a good player who should be in the starting XV, let alone the 23. Porter is no more than decent and Will Joseph may turn out to be a brilliant player, but there is no way he deserves to be in the 23 ahead of Marchant on any normal measure.

This.

[Peej]

The Australians have listed Cokanasiga as starting, for some reason. Marchant's omission is just bizarre.

The Australian selection is really pushing the boundaries for their depth, their attrition rate has been pretty poor. Think we're going to be done over at the breakdown again.

[Peej]

Jones has said it’s due to Porter’s running being better against the Aus defence. Apparently Marchant only goes for outside breaks, which seems like a bizarrely simplistic view of Marchant being the fast and nimble sort, rather than someone who consistently cuts fantastic lines against the grain.

Porter has been impressive for Leicester and I can accept having a good look at him, but Joseph ahead of Marchant on the bench just seems dumb.

Where have you seen this?

Personally, this is my single biggest annoyance on a long list for this tour. Marchant is such a good player who should be in the starting XV, let alone the 23. Porter is no more than decent and Will Joseph may turn out to be a brilliant player, but there is no way he deserves to be in the 23 ahead of Marchant on any normal measure.

Have to agree. Wasn't it Marchant that punched that great line through the Saffa defence in November to set up a try?