Johnson, Marler debut for England
7 Jun 2012
Flank Tom Johnson and prop Joe Marler will play their first Test when England face South Africa in Durban on Saturday.
There could also be a debut for utility back Jonathan Joseph, who is named among the substitutes. In changes to the run-on side from their last Six Nations Test against Ireland, Marler replaces Alex Corbisiero at loosehead and Johnson comes in for Tom Croft at blindside.
In the back division, scrumhalf Ben Youngs ousts Lee Dickson, who drops to the bench, while in the back three Mike Brown’s inclusion at fullback sees Ben Foden move to the left wing, with David Strettle out of the 22 altogether. Brown’s inclusion is a clear indication that England expect to be bombarded with tactical kicks, the Harlequins man’s aerial ability and counter-attacking ability seen as key.
Meanwhile Owen Farrell starts at flyhalf ahead of Toby Flood, the latter playing off the wood. Home town boy Brad Barritt starts at inside centre and Manu Tuilagi has had no recurrence of the injury that sidelined him until Monday, and starts at No 13.
Speaking about the debutants England head coach Stuart Lancaster said: ‘Tom and Joe have had great seasons at their clubs and have worked really hard to get this chance, both are in great form and have really impressed in training.’
He added: ‘Equally, Mike Brown has been outstanding for Harlequins. By moving Ben Foden to the wing we retain his strike power and aerial skills and can utilise not only Mike’s attacking and defensive assets we can also call on his left footed kicking game.’
England - 15 Mike Brown, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Ben Foden, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 Tom Johnson, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Joe Marler.
Subs: 16 Lee Mears, 17 Paul Doran Jones, 18 Tom Palmer, 19 Phil Dowson, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Toby Flood, 22 Jonathan Joseph
272 Comments
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 » Show All
7 Jun 2012, 10:31 am
We should beat these dragons.
7 Jun 2012, 10:34 am
Boks will take it.
7 Jun 2012, 10:35 am
Silly move to move Foden to the wing. Brown is selected purely for the high ball.
7 Jun 2012, 10:38 am
Thats the best 8,9,10,12 axis they’ve had for years.
Strong front row as well.
Boks by 5-10.
7 Jun 2012, 10:40 am
boks will slaughter
7 Jun 2012, 10:47 am
Not impressed. Boks by more than 10.
7 Jun 2012, 10:52 am
Four changes to the team who beat Ireland in the 6N.
Strong England team, but I am with Pompies on the Ben Foden move – even though David Strettle is injured, this move is just plain silly.
He would have been selected there for the kick-chase defense, but it is a reactive rather than a proactive selection. Foden can be destructive on the counter if the Boks misfire.
Marler (only 21!) and Mike Brown was outstanding for Harlequins this season. Brown offers a left foot from the last line of defense.
Don’t know a lot about Tom Johnson, but he was outstanding against the Barbarians.
The Boks will be tested.
7 Jun 2012, 10:54 am
Gonna be close,test match rugby in slippery conditions.
7 Jun 2012, 11:03 am
Tom Johnson, has been in outstanding form for the Exeter Chiefs. Injury prevented him from featuring in the 6N.
7 Jun 2012, 11:05 am
Barrit vs. Steyn at 12 is going to be a cracker!
JDV vs the Samoan should be interesting too.
7 Jun 2012, 11:07 am
You guys crack me up. You know everything about your own players but b***er all about ours [except willie and john]…
Brown has been outstanding full-back in England this season and he can counter as well as catch. In the modern game each wing can expect to spend a lot of time in the f/b role anyway, so Foden will have his time.
Tom Johnson is the kind of flank who succeeds in SA conditions. Tough, hard tackler, not afraid of the nitty-gritty – all the things you stripped away from your own b/r by dropping Heinrich Brussow. With both Robshaw and TJ in our lineup, there will be huge pressure on MArcell Coetzee to play exceptionally in his first Test.
I think Marler will surprise JdP. He has immense upper body strength, and that suits SA scrummaging style. It will be a great contest.
And believe me, after Loubscher’s comments the other day, Owen Farrell and Barritt will be licking their lips waiting for your boys to come down their channel. Farrell is the best defensive 10 anywhere.
7 Jun 2012, 11:08 am
@PaulLondon(PaulLondon)-9:
I reckon England is going to miss the height and speed of Tom Croft a lot. Is this Johnson bloke a similar type of player?
7 Jun 2012, 11:12 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-12:
Has the speed of Croft but not such a good lineout player. Better on the ground and in the close-quarter stuff.
7 Jun 2012, 11:17 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-13:
Thanks.
If he has the speed of Croft he must be flipping quick- imo Croft could have caused havoc on the fast SA fields – but if Johnson is better than him on the ground and at close quarter stuff it might work out well for England in Durban if the conditions are as wet as expected.
7 Jun 2012, 11:21 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-11: “Owen Farrell and Barritt will be licking their lips waiting for your boys to come down their channel” Yep and Barritt, Durban boy schooled at Kearseney College is playing on his real home turf!
7 Jun 2012, 11:22 am
Jeez is it just me or is there a serious lack of decent articles leading up to this test. No juicy training ground details or interviews with players etc. The articles have been few and far between. Maybe i´m just excited at the first hit out of our new Bok team sans old stalwarts and Divvy. Keen to see if there will be any improvement. Itching for SA rugby to finally hit its straps. Weve won a lot under Divvy but there have been less than convincing aspects of our play for a long time that have been gnawing at me. All Blacks and Australia have been playing with a good measure of confidence for some time now.
7 Jun 2012, 11:22 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-11: Hi Kinlaw,
I expect Barrit et al to run down the Boks 10-12 channel too, going to be an interesting battle.
I think your boys can cause an upset on Saturday, particularly on a wet surface.
7 Jun 2012, 11:23 am
@Sharksgirl(Sharksgirl)-15: oops and against former team mates
7 Jun 2012, 11:23 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-11: Let’s be honest here, most people around the world know more about our players than yours. Why do you think that is?
7 Jun 2012, 11:23 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-11:
Nice informative post.
Don’t know much about this England team but the way they’ve gone so quiet but confident in their own way almost unnoticed by the SA Rugby media got me a bit nervy, along with most in SA taking a victory as a given.
How do you rate your chances given where both teams are at the moment, as well as the expected heavy field caused by downpours the last couple of days?
7 Jun 2012, 11:24 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-11: Do the English use 6 or 7 for open side?
7 Jun 2012, 11:26 am
@Kinlaw_62-11
Spot on…
7 Jun 2012, 11:27 am
Mike Brown is a selection that has been waiting to happen.
Brown at the back and Foden on the wing makes the back 3 very stong.
POMPIES.
Brown is good under the high ball, but in my humble opinion, has shown he has that x factor ability. So many good attacking runs by Halequins have revolved around him. His form over the past 2 years has been brilliant, and he also seems to be a real tough customer. If that back 3 gets space and the ball they will give us problems.
7 Jun 2012, 11:28 am
And according to Ashton they’ve put in a lot of work for the aerial assault with Catt for this series.
That’s exactly what Cory Jane said ahead of the TriNations 2010 and we all know how the Boks game crumbled after that.
7 Jun 2012, 11:28 am
@willievz(willievz)-7: I watched a bit of the Harlequins / Leicester match the other day and Marler was quite impressive. I think Jannie duP might be in for a surprise. I still can’t believe HM hasn’t picked a specialist tighthead on the bench
7 Jun 2012, 11:29 am
@Bokhoring(Bokhoring)-21: They use 7 for openside, like the rest of the world.
It is only us and the Frogs that use 6 for openside.
However, I suspect Johnson and Robshaw might play left-right this series.
7 Jun 2012, 11:30 am
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-16:
Maybe NZ but Aussies’ confidence is shot after that Scotland debacle.
7 Jun 2012, 11:30 am
I will be keeping an eye on the ABs Irish test, I’ll probably watch the Oz Wales test, but the game of the weekend will be you guys against England. Do not write the English off guys, there has been bugger all talk from them and they are keeping they’re heads down. They will turn up to Kings park, and they will have a crack. Should be an absolute beauty.
7 Jun 2012, 11:31 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-11: I can’t believe that Loubscher made those comments. My motto has always been to say as little about your opposition as possible (e.g Jake White about the Ireland locks when he was still coaching the Boks)
7 Jun 2012, 11:31 am
@willievz(willievz)-26: Robshaw does look a bit big for an open side though – so I assume the smaller Johnson would fill that role.
7 Jun 2012, 11:33 am
@hensopper1(hensopper1)-23: I have followed Brown very closely this season.
He has been good, but in a wet arial contest I would have gone for Foden at 15, and Brown on the wing.
Not the other way around.
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-25: HM is bargaining on Coenie doing a stop-gap job at 3 should he be required. I am also concerned about this as the Doc is not an 80 minute player IMO. The wet field might actually save HM here, as it is often a nullifier at scrum time.
7 Jun 2012, 11:34 am
@NZRugby(NZRugby)-28: I’m guessing that Lancaster must have told James Haskell to shove his Tour Diary Video Camera up his backside for this series. That would account for at least half the silence.
7 Jun 2012, 11:36 am
I will bet a boot load of Johnny Blue that Chris Ashton has Kings Park turf imbedded into his DNA the second he gets ball and attempts to shuffle inside and up through the FWD,s due to his channel being shut down.
7 Jun 2012, 11:37 am
@Sharksgirl(Sharksgirl)-15:
Yep a nice irony eh? Should feel right at home…
7 Jun 2012, 11:38 am
@willievz(willievz)-31: And Doc’s form has been suspect since his marriage ?
7 Jun 2012, 11:39 am
@NZRugby(NZRugby)-28:
Conditions are perfect for an upset.
If England can resist our traditional fiery start it will turn into a nervy affair for us.
One advantage we have though is that the game is handled by a SH ref so the Boks will be more accustomed to his interpretations.
There’s a difference in how NH refs handle the breakdown, they’re more lenient of players flooding a ruck contesting for the ball even if they do go to ground whereas SH refs will blow up the first guy leaving his feet even if by accident.
7 Jun 2012, 11:39 am
@wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-27: yeah now – but the last few years theyve been playing with a lot of confidence and lets not forget they did beat us in the WC. Aus rugby on a whole seems to be on a bit of a downturn this year as can be seen by their Super Rugby performances.
7 Jun 2012, 11:40 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-11: There’s a reason Brown hasn’t played much test rugby. It’s because he’s not better than Foden. Foden has better attacking ability from the back compared to Brown. Brown is a safety option and a confidence player. 1 mistake and he could fall to bits.
7 Jun 2012, 11:41 am
Big Bok brekers full of vain expectations again
Brown and Foden better bets than either of Kirchner or Lambie
Boks SHOULD win by virtue that its a home game and their spirits will be sky high with so much resting on the young guns,,
BUT, this England pack and their back line will NOT be a walkover..
Our front row gonna be drukked and second row we got 2 light locks and one newbie not used to the high attrition of international rugby yet.
Back row we got lighties again, with more speed and only Alberts providing any grunt.
at half back they got better distributors and thinking players, only Barritt that don’t measure up to the big stage, he’s their weakest link, Tuilagi is a monster and out wide they are dangerous.
England also got a far better bench than us. Joseph way better than Oivier, and Flood can take initiative at 10 or move Farrell to inside center if Barritt don’t fire which is how I would have started this game if I were Lancaster.
England get up a head of steam and if ref blows an even game and don’t favor the home side this side could be more than a handful for Meyer’s first encounter. Anyone thinking Bok’s gonna cream this team should hold off their eager expectations till after the weekend.
7 Jun 2012, 11:44 am
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-37:
They’ve had our number that’s for sure, we can’t seem to handle these fleet footed type of players like Genia, Cooper, Beale etc and another example Shane Williams who made us look like fools, until Frans Steyn got a piece of him
But Aussies have been beaten twice by Scotland under Deans, once by Samoa and lost a Test vs England at home as well as away so things aren’t rosy for them either.
7 Jun 2012, 11:44 am
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-39: Eben light – at 2.03 m and 117 kg?
7 Jun 2012, 11:46 am
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-39: Who are the two light locks?
7 Jun 2012, 11:47 am
@wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-20:
I think we’ll have our best chance in Durban, especially given the likely conditions. Ellis Park at altitude? Don’t fancy that one as much!
We believe while your lineout and kicking game are impressive, your halves can be pressured. Although he’s clearly a very talented player, is Francois Hougaard really a scrum-half? And we’ll be looking to get into Morne [naturally].
Also queries about your back-row, only Coetzee seems able to run and get his hands dirty. Spies we don’t rate, shoulda stayed on the wing and become the white Lomu.
IMO we have a better than even chance of winning in Durban. After that, anyone’s guess – it might depend on whether HM starts to second-guess himself..
@Bokhoring(Bokhoring)-21:
Both are 6-and-a-1/2′s, capable of playing 6 or 7. Johnson is quicker but Robshaw is extremely physical and always seems to absorb a lot of attention from the opposition.
7 Jun 2012, 11:48 am
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-39: Their three locks are 114, 115 and 116kg. Ours are 112, 118 and 123kg. Or did you just like the alliteration of “light locks”?
7 Jun 2012, 11:50 am
The way the boks are running in training will see Frans Steyn as quite central to the gameplan.
Standing at 1st receiver on occassion, bashing it up the middle and punting it downfield.
Coetzee wont be as involved in play and set moves as he is at Sharks which means he might lose confidence early on, but hopefully not dissapear.( i doubt he will)
Another concern for me is IMO Keegan Daniel Should be starting ahead of Spies at the back of the scrum. What Keegan gives away in cm height wise, he makes up for with in Mongrel. That would be a proactive choice for the new look Pom b/r.
Lastly the English will be the Boks mighty hard as they are preparing in silence building up confidence, but the boks bench barring Wynand Olivier are stronger.
7 Jun 2012, 11:51 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-43: You question our back row, but only mention Coetzee and Spies, conveniently overlooking the big fella that’s going to put a world of hurt on whoever attempts to take the ball up. Alberts is a one man wrecking crew. Dismiss him at your peril.
7 Jun 2012, 11:52 am
@pompies2(pompies2)-38:
Foden has been one of the first names on the teamsheet for a while now, so Brown has had to be patient. But he has a big howitzer on the end of his left leg and he’s not afraid to take people on. Can be a bit volatile but hey, no-one’s perfect!
7 Jun 2012, 11:52 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-46: We just need the Alberts that played against the Stormers
7 Jun 2012, 11:53 am
@Bokhoring(Bokhoring)-48: That’s him. He’s there. Fear not.
7 Jun 2012, 11:54 am
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-43: You raise a good point.
For the opening game Boks should have had
15. Kirchener
14. Hougaard (better wing option)
13. Jdv
12. F. Steyn
11. Basson (high ball)
10. Lambie
09. Ruan
08. Keegan
Rest stay same
Yes i support the Sharks btw not Bulls judging by my selections
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.