Eddie Jones reshuffles England for Italy clash in Rome
Eddie Jones has made six changes to England's starting line-up for Sunday's game against Italy
©PA
Making six changes for England’s trip to Italy this weekend, Eddie Jones has given some of his less experienced players starting spots for the second game of the Six Nations.
Jack Nowell will make his first England start for over 1000 days, whilst Joe Marchant shifts to outside centre, Harry Randall starts at scrum-half, Jamie George and Will Stuart come into the front-row, as Charlie Ewels starts at lock and Alex Dombrandt starts at No.8.
Leicester Tigers forward, Ollie Chessum, is likely to make his England debut from the bench, Joe Marler, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Kyle Sinckler, Sam Simmonds, Ben Youngs, George Ford and Elliot Daly the rest of Jones’ finishers.
It is a set of replacements that is likely to cause some damage, with 409 caps amongst it, compared to the 347 caps in the starting side. With Italy having started promisingly against France last weekend in Paris, much of the England’s work will likely be done after wearing their hosts down for much of the opening period.
“We want to be ruthless,” Jones said. “We have got the chance on Saturday to atone for what we did last Saturday. We can only do that by being really ruthless and having that image of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston, that sort of image in your head where you really want to go at them.
“If you look at our squad, we are probably missing seven frontline players – very conservatively. Then you have to look at the quality of the bench, that is a testament to the strength of the squad.
“We have got, what would be deemed, inexperienced and young starting team. We have a really nice blend for this game, of a quite young and vibrant starting 15 and a more worldly and experienced finishing eight.”
A different No.8
In the back-row, Maro Itoje has moved to blindside flanker, whilst Alex Dombrandt comes in at No.8. Tom Curry captains England again from openside flanker, although the 23-year-old has scarcely trained this week as a result of a knock picked up at Murrayfeld.
In the case of Dombrandt, his first start for England since his Test debut against Canada last summer. Replacing Sam Simmonds, who hardly poot a foot wrong in Edinburgh, Jones expects that the Harlequins back-row will have plenty of space to attack at the Stadio Olimpico.
“When we look at the team, we try and maximise our resources,” Jones said. “Sam Simmonds played very well at No.8, and we are going to finish with him this week.
“We want to see Alex Dombrandt play in a game that we think will really suit him. Against Italy, they tend to be more open, unstructured-type games, so we feel that is a great game for him to start.”
When playing for Harlequins, Dombrandt and Marcus Smith form a fairly lethal combination. Both are leaders at the Stoop and seemingly have a telepathic connection, the forward often an option for Smith when the fly-half has ball in hand.
It is a relationship that has proved extremely successful at club level, this the first opportunity the two have had to showcase themselves on the international scene together.
“They naturally do it on the field,” Jones, when asked about Smith and Dombrandt’s connection, said. “We see that certain styles of players fit each other, and they have certainly got that understanding.
“Alex runs very good inside balls from Marcus, he has got that understanding of when to do it and they will so that on the field, and just today at training they dd it again and I am sure that is going to happen on Sunday.”
Playing Italy
Against France last weekend, Italy led for a time before Fabien Galthie’s France took control of the game. Tommaso Menoncello took a try extremely well, the side’s start somewhat reminiscent of their game against the All Blacks at the end of 2021.
At the start of each Six Nations, the debate of Italy’s future in the competition always crops up. With Georgia having had such dominance in the Rugby European Championship, many think the Eastern Europeans should have the opportunity to compete in the premier European rugby competition.
Appointing Kieran Crowley as the man to take Italy to the next level, the former All Black having led Benetton Treviso to a Rainbow Cup crown last season, Jones is quick to caution that their hosts pose a stern challenge to that can’t be underestimated.
“I think they have made some really rapid progress under Kieran Crowley, who we know is a good coach,” Jones said. “He has coached successfully at Canada, did a great job with Benetton Treviso, knows the Italian rugby culture, speaks a little bit of bad Italian.
“He is a good man to lead them. Great rugby knowledge, and they have got some good young players coming through. If you look at their U20s over the last four or five seasons, they have done exceptionally well, and they are getting guys like (Paolo) Garbisi coming through and being good enough to keep a World Cup winner in (Handre) Pollard on the bench at Montpellier.
“(Michele) Lamaro, the seven, is a very tough, strong competitor and would make most international teams. (Sebastian) Negri, he has got all that Zimbabwean beef, and he brings a bit of carry and front foot rugby for their attack, so they are not a team you can underestimate.
“You have got to play well to beat them, and I am sure on Sunday, Kieran is going to have them well prepared.”
