The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsStuart Lancaster has named an unchanged team for Friday’s opening game of the Rugby World Cup at Twickenham with Sam Burgess a surprise inclusion amongst the replacements.
England go into the World Cup with increasing momentum and Friday’s match against Fiji will be a stiff test and an opening salvo on whether the home nation can consider themselves as a serious contender for the Webb Ellis trophy in October.
Ben Youngs will win his 50th cap for his country whilst the side will again be skippered by Chris Robshaw. Ben Morgan has got the nod over Billy Vunipola and Geoff Parling will start ahead of Joe Launchbury with the experience of Parling and hooker Tom Youngs key to that selection.
Lancaster said as reported on BBC Sport “Friday will be a great occasion for the whole squad and for the country. We are in a unique position to be playing in a World Cup on home soil and to have the support of a nation behind the team.
“That support will be a massive factor and we don’t underestimate its importance.”
England Team to face Fiji
Mike Brown (Harlequins); Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby); George Ford (Bath Rugby); Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Geoff Parling (Exeter Chiefs), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints), Chris Robshaw (capt, Harlequins), Ben Morgan (Gloucester Rugby).
Replacements
Rob Webber (Bath Rugby), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Kieran Brookes (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Billy Vunipola (Saracens), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby).
