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Australia v England: Courtney Lawes to captain tourists as Danny Care and Billy Vunipola return

Last updated on .From the section Rugby UnionBBC Russian523

Courtney Lawes playing for England
Courtney Lawes captained England during the 2022 Six Nations
Australia v England
Venue: Perth Stadium, Australia Date: Saturday, 2 July Kick-off: 10:55 BST
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, the BBC Sport website and app.

Courtney Lawes will captain England in Saturday's first Test against Australia, as veterans Danny Care and Billy Vunipola also start.

Lawes leads the side in Perth ahead of ex-skipper Owen Farrell, who is back at inside centre following injury.

Scrum-half Care will win his first cap in almost four years, while number eight Vunipola's brother Mako is among the replacements.

Marcus Smith starts at 10 and uncapped wing Henry Arundell is on the bench.

The teenager is one of three uncapped players among the replacements, along with Jack van Poortvliet and Guy Porter.

Farrell - who last played for England in November - is overlooked as captain by head coach Eddie Jones for the first time since 2018, with Lawes having taken on the role last autumn and in the 2022 Six Nations.

Having recovered from recent ankle injuries, Farrell will play alongside outside centre Joe Marchant in the first of a three-Test series.

Joe Cokanasiga will play his first Test for a year on the left wing following injury and Covid-19, while Van Poortvliet's inclusion means there is no place in the matchday 23 for Harry Randall.

Earlier on Thursday, lock Charlie Ewels was ruled out of the tour because of a knee injury and will be replaced by Bristol's Sam Jeffries.

"We feel we have a well-balanced team which is ready for this improving Australia team," Jones said. "We'll take it to them from the start."

For Australia, lock Cadeyrn Neville will make his debut at the age of 33, while the experienced duo of Quade Cooper and Nic White start at fly-half and scrum-half respectively.

England - looking to bounce back from a Six Nations in which they claimed just two victories - have beaten Australia in the past eight games between the two, winning their last series in the country 3-0 in 2016.

England team to face Australia: Steward; Nowell, Marchant, Farrell, Cokanasiga; Smith, Care; Genge, George, Stuart, Itoje, Hill, Lawes (capt), Curry, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Heyes, Chessum, Ludlam, Van Poortlviet, Porter, Arundell.

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523 comments

  • Comment posted by Display name, at 08:54 30 Jun 2022

    When was the last time anyone can say they agree with an England selection!

    Can't believe it. Did Eddie let someone else pick the team?

    • Reply posted by Surrey Soothsayer, at 09:40 30 Jun 2022

      Surrey Soothsayer replied:
      It’s a poor team. It’s an old team. It’s a World Cup Quarterfinals at best team.

  • Comment posted by Muchado, at 08:39 30 Jun 2022

    Looking forward to what should be an excellent test series. Glad it’s Australia we’re playing as SA/NZ in their own back yards would probably be a step too far for this team.

    Surprised by Cokanasiga inclusion but at least he brings some punch to the back line. Great to see Arundell on the bench.

    Let’s get behind the boys 🌹

    • Reply posted by Gemini, at 08:49 30 Jun 2022

      Gemini replied:
      Can't see why you're surprised by Cokanasiga - he was one of the few successes in the Barbarians match!

  • Comment posted by Itsnotpersonal, at 11:23 30 Jun 2022

    "Curry not test standard" Really, did anyone see the work him and Underhill did at WC2019?
    "Cokanasiga has no pace" I think he is actually pretty damn quick, he may need to work on his defence but at least he brings some power to the back 3.
    "Smith is the weak link" Utter drivel.
    "Lawes is a second row not a lock" best back row on the Lions tour and also probably best player as well!

    • Reply posted by Rugby born and bred, at 11:35 30 Jun 2022

      Rugby born and bred replied:
      sorry, i am sure you have been told about stating facts, shocking behaviour.

  • Comment posted by Fubber, at 09:10 30 Jun 2022

    Laughable how many people don’t understand how pivotal a fit and in form Farrell is to this team.

    • Reply posted by Living Room, at 09:20 30 Jun 2022

      Living Room replied:
      Which says everything about how poor we are in the centres. That we have a no 10 in Farrell that is shoe-horned into the 12 slot, whilst he is definitely on decent form at the moment as a 10, he offers no running threat, has a poor tackle completion and becomes truculent when things don't go his way.

  • Comment posted by Sanctimonius Progressive, at 09:18 30 Jun 2022

    Good to see the cool headed yet uncompromising Lawes as captain.

    • Reply posted by Cromwellsbrain, at 09:54 30 Jun 2022

      Cromwellsbrain replied:
      Agree...but the weakness in his captaincy is his relationship with the ref - and I would argue that is the most important facet of any captain's game. Love, love, love the way that Jamie George engages with refs and it's a shame that, in the modern game of 50 mins max for front rows, George rules himself out.

  • Comment posted by Harleking, at 08:38 30 Jun 2022

    Good to see Billy and DC back, hopefully they can carry on their club form.

    Strong side and exciting options on the bench.

    • Reply posted by runitback, at 14:23 30 Jun 2022

      runitback replied:
      A return to prove their form is back, looking forward to that axis again!

  • Comment posted by mike, at 08:37 30 Jun 2022

    Good selection, for once!

    • Reply posted by Deergut, at 09:02 30 Jun 2022

      Deergut replied:
      Perhaps ERNIE rather than EJ did the selection?

  • Comment posted by CB, at 08:47 30 Jun 2022

    One to watch is Stuart. I think he needs a big series and we need him to have a good one as TH prop looks a bit threadbare.
    It’s probably our strongest squad we’ve got for this tour, though I still think pace or a lack of may be an issue. Will be interesting to see what squad the Aussies pick, they have size in the backs if they pick them!

    • Reply posted by isitme, at 08:59 30 Jun 2022

      isitme replied:
      Tend to agree re pace. And cockanasiga isn't great defensively. But great to see care start and for once I'm pleased to see faz in the team. He's been back to form the last few months.also good to see van poortvliet and arundell getting test experience. Not convinced by curry recently seems to have lived on name rather than performance. We will find out soon enough.

  • Comment posted by Henry, at 08:42 30 Jun 2022

    Billy is 29 I think, hardly a veteran. Looks a good team, but I’m a big fan of Underhill. Is he injured?

    • Reply posted by SD, at 08:47 30 Jun 2022

      SD replied:
      Out of form anyway

  • Comment posted by Allanon, at 08:57 30 Jun 2022

    The player quality isn't the problem, the problem is the game plan script, and being allowed to improvise if the game plan isn't working, the whole point is these are talented players so let them play EJ.

    • Reply posted by EdwardLongshanks, at 11:12 30 Jun 2022

      EdwardLongshanks replied:
      Are they talented? My biggest concern is the lack of talent both in the premiership and the national side. If they were talented, they'd make whatever system they are given work. Who, out of out best 40 players would get into the Irish (or Leinster), NZ, French or SA squads. Maybe Itoje and that's it.

  • Comment posted by Will, at 09:25 30 Jun 2022

    Apart from Farrell who has probably started at 12 for England more often than he has started at 10 every other player appears to be playing in the same position he regularly plays for his club.

    Has anybody checked if Eddie Jones is feeling okay?

    • Reply posted by Walkeden, at 15:35 30 Jun 2022

      Walkeden replied:
      Yes but Farrell is still in the team …
      Waste of space .. other than goal kicking … it’s offensive to other centres that he gets picked ..
      Is his Eddie’s love child

  • Comment posted by foxtrot, at 09:31 30 Jun 2022

    Great to see Danny Care back, a real busybody on the pitch, and just what England need.

    • Reply posted by Just Asking, at 10:56 30 Jun 2022

      Just Asking replied:
      Playing Joe Marler at scrum half would be an improvement over Ben Youngs.

  • Comment posted by 4QLabour, at 12:44 30 Jun 2022

    Forget age, Lawes is has got progressively better every season. He is such a rounded player and handling puts some of the backs to shame.

    Naturally a leader in his actions and demeanour, who doesn't need to backchat the ref. Bending the ref's ear, doesn't change any decisions

    • Reply posted by Rugby born and bred, at 12:54 30 Jun 2022

      Rugby born and bred replied:
      Absolutely correct, his form this season has been immense. The game after he has his thumb operated on, he was on another level

  • Comment posted by Andy Malcolm, at 10:57 30 Jun 2022

    Pack looks good.
    Never convinced by Farrel at 12 and hope Arundel gets game time as he looks class.

    Some numb has been on here saying Curry not test standard ! Incredible what some people spout, happy to take him up here in Scotland if you don't want him !

    • Reply posted by D1710944168207, at 11:03 30 Jun 2022

      D1710944168207 replied:
      What? You Scots have at least 15 back row players better than Curry.

  • Comment posted by Martin, at 09:01 30 Jun 2022

    Still a bit concerned at the lack of pace in our back 3 - hope Arundell gets enough game time to change that. Would have preferred to see Willis on the bench ahead of Ludlam.

    • Reply posted by Display name, at 09:02 30 Jun 2022

      Display name replied:
      Current form Ludlam brings a lot more off the bench.

  • Comment posted by Mish, at 08:55 30 Jun 2022

    Strong team.. good to see the Vunipolas back.

    • Reply posted by Linalmeemow, at 09:14 30 Jun 2022

      Linalmeemow replied:
      It'd be nice to see some new blood coming through, but the Vunipolas have been playing too well to leave out.

  • Comment posted by EdF, at 08:37 30 Jun 2022

    Probably the strongest team he could pick based on the squad at hand. Some good options on the bench too. No excuses now EJ, time for England to deliver

  • Comment posted by TrueMilkThug, at 08:40 30 Jun 2022

    Feel the side stripped away its power base over the last year or so to try and aim for a more creative flare. It hasn't worked so glad Joe and Billy are back

  • Comment posted by ian crichton, at 11:41 30 Jun 2022

    The problem is that eddie has squandered the last few years and failed to develop key partnerships in several areas of the field. A different approach, using Saracens relegation as an opportunity to try out new players and combinations rather than sticking beligerently to those in the championship and then dropping them when they finally had match practice was bonkers.

    • Reply posted by KingofAbertawe, at 15:56 30 Jun 2022

      KingofAbertawe replied:
      no the problem is that the premiership imposed the greatest act of vandalism on english rugby ever seen by relegating sarries. And before you get on your high horse, no i dont believe that they were the only ones breaking the rules. But EJ was hamstrung from that point onwards.

  • Comment posted by jdwscott, at 15:46 30 Jun 2022

    Lawes as captain is a very good move for England for this series. He has a "Johnson-esque" aura and does everything with tone-setting skill and intensity. Looking forward to seeing him go.

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