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England vs Australia team news: George Ford dropped as Owen Farrell returns to fly-half for Rugby World Cup quarter-final

Eddie Jones has made the shock decision to drop one of his form players in Ford and bring Henry Slade into the midfield, moving Manu Tuilagi to inside centre, while Mako Vunipola and Courtney Lawes are also selected int he starting line-up

Jack de Menezes

Beppu

Thursday 17 October 2019 06:25 BST

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Typhoon hits Rugby World Cup- Eddie Jones 'disappointed' at cancelled England game

Eddie Jones has sprung a major surprise by dropping in-form fly-half George Ford and restoring Owen Farrell to No 10 for England's Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Australia on Saturday.

Despite starring as one of England’s best performers in Japan, Ford has been dropped to the replacements to allow Henry Slade to return to the side at outside centre, with Manu Tuilagi moving inside to fill the void left by Farrell.

Slade has played just 40 minutes of rugby this season after suffering a left knee injury in preparation for England’s first World Cup warm-up match in August, and will make his first start of the campaign at the Oita Stadium at the weekend.

Mako Vunipola will also make his first start of the World Cup, having been preferred to Joe Marler at loosehead prop after recovering from hamstring surgery. Billy Vunipola is fit to retain his place at No 8, while Courtney Lawes regains his place in the second row ahead of George Kruis in an otherwise unchanged line-up from the team that beat Argentina 39-10 two weeks ago.

Jones gave the suggestion that with the emphasis on “defensive brutality” against the Wallabies, Ford’s demotion to the bench lies in beefing up the midfield with Slade and pitting Tuilagi against the dangerous Australian centre Samu Kerevi, who has starred at 12 in this World Cup.

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

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1/16Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

Rugby World Cup team of the pool stage

With the 40 pool matches of the Rugby World Cup in the bag, who makes our best team of the pool stage? Click through the gallery to see each player.

AFP via Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

1. Joe Marler (England)

Not so long ago the loosehead was in international retirement, yet now he finds himself as one of just five players to have started all three of England’s pool games. Marler stood up to take on responsibility in the absence of first-choice Mako Vunipola, and ensured that his absence did not become a weakness.

AFP via Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

2. Shota Horie (Japan)

Arguably the player of the pool stage. Horie’s familiar locks have made him famous for more than just his rugby skills, but it is what he is doing on the field that he deserves praise for. Standout performances against Ireland and Scotland tell you all you need to know about his form so far.

Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)

Furlong was outstanding against Samoa and has provided strong consistency across the pool stage to help Ireland get back on their feet. With most tighthead props being rotated game by game, it makes selection rather tricky to look for standout moments, but Furlong’s two crunching runs in his most recent outing see him stand out from the rest.

EPA

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

4. Luke Thompson (Japan)

The 38-year-old is defying Father Time at this year’s World Cup and has been one of their standout players so far. His defensive effort has been supreme with the numbers to back it up, while he is also a key reason why Japan now have a strong set-piece.

AFP/Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

5. Lood de Jager (South Africa)

Has stood out from the shadow of Eben Etzebeth to be South Africa’s leading second row so far this tournament. Finally looks to be delivering on the potential that he’s been earmarked as having for some time, and is learning how to make the most of his towering frame.

PA

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

6. Michael Leitch (Japan)

Captain fantastic and a hero to the Japanese people, who bello “LEITCH!” every time he gets the ball. Carries ferociously like it’s his last chance to touch the ball, and has led Japan’s defensive effort with honour.

AFP via Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

7. Justin Tipuric (Wales)

The flanker was brilliant against Australia to help them to victory and was trusted to lead the team against Uruguay in order to provide his nous and intelligence to help see Wales to top spot.

AFP/Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

8. Kazuki Himeno (Japan)

Is emerging into one of the most impactful forwards at the World Cup with a lovely blend of raw power and gifted handling making him a handful for opponents to stop, as both Samoa and Scotland discovered.

Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

9. Yutaka Nagare (Japan)

A lot of what Japan have achieved at this World Cup is down to the speed in delivering the ball that Nagare is able to provide. Slow him down and teams will work out how to beat Japan, but so far no one has managed to do that and Nagare has punished them for it.

AP

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

10. George Ford (England)

A bright light in what has not been a shimmering campaign so far for England, but the way he has surged back into the mix after losing his place to Owen Farrell last year has been impressive. Captain on occasion, leading fly-half on the rest, Ford has even crossed the whitewash twice to get his account off to a strong start.

AP

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

11. Semi Radradra (Fiji)

The man pushing Leitch as the player of the tournament. Radradra was unstoppable against Wales and battered the Wallabies defence with his power running on the opening weekend. The biggest shame is that he is going home from the tournament already, but his impact has been felt by many a defender already in Japan,

REUTERS

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

12. Ryoto Nakamura (Japan)

The centre has made a name for himself at the World Cup, with his ability to blast through tackles standing out as a key reason why Japan are able to get over the gain line so often.

Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

13. Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand)

There are not as many New Zealanders on this list as you’d usually expect, but then the All Blacks have been going through the motion since the victory over South Africa three weeks ago. Not Lienert-Brown though, as he has stood out as one of the best performers of the tournament so far.

Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

14. Kotaro Matsushima (Japan)

Five-try Kotro leads the way at the Rugby World Cup, with only Wales’s Josh Adams able to match his haul at the tournament so far. Matsushima brings a huge work rate to the back-field and has an incredible ability to bounce off much bigger tacklers than he is, which says a lot about his skills and strength in the tackle.

Getty Images

Team of the pool stage: Rugby World Cup 2019

15. Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)

Barrett may not have played for a few weeks after being rested against Nambia and having the final game with Canada cancelled, but the brilliant display against the Springboks at the strat of the tournament should be forgotten.

AFP/Getty Images

“Once you get to the quarter-finals it’s about having the right mindset,” said Jones. “We know how well we can play, it’s about us playing to our strengths and trying to take away from what Australia want.

“Australia are a clever team, they will have some specific attacking strategies to play against us so we need to have a great situational awareness. We need to defend with brutality and when we have the ball we need play on top of them.”

The back three remains Elliot Daly, Anthony Watson and Jonny May, who will win his 50th cap on Saturday, with Jonathan Joseph providing cover on the bench to replace the injured Jack Nowell, who has a hamstring injury.

Jones said of May’s personal accolade: “It is a great achievement and an honour for him and his family. Everyone in the team is really pleased for him.

“I think this World Cup has really shown how hard he has worked at his game. He has come back from a significant knee injury to be close to the fastest winger, if not the fastest winger in the world, and has the ability to score tries from any situation.”

Ben Youngs continues at scrum-half with a new partner in Farrell, who will have Tuilagi and Slade outside him in a repeated of the Six Nations formation earlier this year.

George Ford has been dropped to the bench for England's World Cup quarter-final against Australia (Getty)

Mako Vunipola returns for his first England start since the victory over France last February, having torn his hamstring in that match that required surgery to repair and aggravating the injury in the August win over Ireland. He’s joined in the front row by Saracens teammate Jamie George, with Kyle Sinckler continuing at tighthead prop.

Maro Itoje and Lawes form the second row to repeat what Jones selected for their opening match here against Tonga, while Tom Curry and Sam Underhill continue as England’s flankers with Billy Vunipola at No 8.

Marler, Kruis and Ford all drop to the bench, where they are joined by Luke Cowan-Dickie, Dan Cole, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz and Joseph.

England team to face Australia

Elliot Daly; Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler; Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Billy Vunipola.

Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Marler, Dan Cole, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, George Ford, Jonathan Joseph.

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