Parling Blow Weakens England

England’s starting line-up for the final Test in Hamilton on Saturday took a massive blow, just the day before the game, as influential second-row Geoff Parling has been ruled out with a hamstring Injury.

The Leicester Tigers lock has been monumental around the park and at the lineout in the first two Tests of the series, with Head Coach Stuart Lancaster labelling him the tour’s “standout forward”.

However, the loss of such a ‘key’ player at the set-piece has significantly dwindled England’s prospects of departing New Zealand with a precious All Blacks scalp to their name.

Luckily, though, England have a brilliant replacement to bring in in the shape of Joe launchbury, who will reunite his mightily successful 2014 6 Nations partnership with Courtney Lawes in the England engine room.

David Attwood is, therefore, promoted to the match day squad and placed on the bench.

"Geoff's been in great form and has led from the front very well as far as the forward pack is concerned," assistant coach Andy Farrell said.

"He was struggling at the beginning of the week and did everything he possibly could to get right, but he isn't right to play at Test match intensity.

"It's a big loss for us but we have good cover in that position and a couple of hungry boys are waiting to do the job for us."

Parling damaged his hamstring during last weekend's 28-27 defeat in Dunedin, a result that placed the series beyond England's reach.

Worryingly for England, Launchbury looked tired in the first two Tests, with Lancaster stating that he was “struggling to recover from the intensity”, but must summon the energy for one last assault to prevent the All Blacks from amassing a record-equalling 17th victory.

"Courtney has run the line-out for us before so it's nice to see him step back in, take the leading role and take responsibility again," Farrell said.

"Joe was gutted to not be starting the match. After the review, he knows the reasons why he was left out. He's licked his wounds a little bit and has a chance to start.

"I'm sure we'll get more out of him because of that initial disappointment. He's chomping at the bit and raring to go."

Farrell gave short shrift to comments made by New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen that England face a dilemma over their tactics since discovering they are unable to match the All Blacks at a high-tempo game.

In response to last Saturday's 28-27 victory, Hansen said "They are in a bit of a quandary really because they took us on in Dunedin playing a game of real pace and worked out they couldn't."

A week earlier Hansen had complained that England had attempted to slow the game down at Eden Park.

"Well, we didn't try to slow the game down in the first Test and they thought that was our tactics then. Now they're saying we're trying to speed the game up and can't do that," Farrell said.

"The reality is that the game always takes its own path and we've got to be in control of what we do.

"We want to play quick at the right times, be composed at the right times and slow things down when needed to suit ourselves. We'll be ready for either way of playing."