Marler and Johnson to make their debuts against South Africa

Stuart Lancaster has selected an ambitious 23 man squad to take on South Africa in Durban on Saturday. Selection has been based on form and England has been able to prepare well for the past few weeks, while the Springboks have had limited opportunities to train as a unit. This test series is a big test for Lancaster and his side; they have the potential to lay down a marker on the international stage. If England can win the first test, it will spice up the series.

The front row is made up of Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole. Marler has been in exceptional form for Harlequins, the newly crowned Aviva Premiership champions. His combative approach in open play helped his side finish top in the regular season. His scrummaging has come on dramatically and he will have a chance to really test himself against the Beast in Durban. Hartley returns in time to start the first test following his ban for ill-discipline. Northampton missed the hooker dearly in the closing stages of the season and he will need to make sure his throwing in to the line out is superb, he may struggle initially having been out of action for a few weeks, but his leadership will be vital in the front row. The hot-headed hooker will need to keep his cool in South Africa; it is likely he will be targeted by the South African forwards in this respect. Leicester’s Cole has been tremendous for Leicester since he returned from the World Cup in New Zealand. He helped push the tigers up from 11^th in the table to runners-up by the end of the season. His scrummaging has also improved and he has been able to keep the veteran Italian Martin Castrogiovanni out of the starting jersey.

The engine room of the second row is made up of Saracens’ Mouritz Both and Leicester’s George Parling. South African born Botha has proven himself and fully deserves another starting position. Botha’s dramatic rise from lowly Bedford Blues in to Saracen’s starting has seen him win six caps so far. His work in the line out is exceptional and his 115kg adds real grunt to England’s pack. Parling, who has represented his country at every age group, has been competing with Tom Palmer for the other shirt in the second row, his organisation at defensive line-outs is vital to England’s success in South Africa.

Lancaster’s selection of the back-row is an exciting prospect. The new Gloucester recruit Ben Morgan provides an aggressive battering-ram off the back of the scrum who will give England plenty of go forward. Captaining the side is Harlequins’ skipper Chris Robshaw, the open-side flanker led the side admirably in the Six Nations and he will look to use his experience he gained in this year’s successful premiership campaign to lead England to a series victory. Exeter’s talisman Tom Johnson is deservedly called up to the national squad, the imposing blind-side flanker has been tremendous for the Chiefs; one of his highlights of the season surely must have been the commanding winning performance against Gloucester at Kingsholm. Johnson will be at the heart of the battle at the breakdown, he will have to make sure England can secure quality possession and can cause turnovers.

There is a slight surprise at scrum-half, with Ben Youngs given the starting position over Danny Care. Care has been out of favour with Lancaster since his indiscretions earlier this year, yet he seems to have been in better form than Youngs. The Tigers scrum-half will have to show the same kind of form that saw him burst on to the scene last summer against Australia. Owen Farrell starts at fly-half, the Saracen needs to show he can do more than just kick his penalties this summer. He will face a tough task coming up against Morne Steyn, who was the top point-scorer at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. Farrell’s defensive abilities have never been questioned, but he needs to get England’s back line firing and playing some expansive rugby when the time is right.

The centres are filled by the defensive workhorse of Brad Barritt and Manu Tuilagi. During the Six Nations, Barritt’s tackle-count was outstanding, he will have some big back-rowers running down his channel and he will need to be as reliable as ever. Leicester’s youngest Tuilagi gives England real dynamism in the centres. He has an unquestionable ability to make it past the gain line and Chris Ashton will be hoping to get on the end of one of his trademark breaks. It will be an entertaining match-up between Tuilagi and the experienced Jean de Villiers.

The back-three’s only change from the Six Nations is the introduction of Mike Brown at full-back, with Ben Foden moving to the left-wing. Brown was one of the best players in the Aviva Premiership last season and it is only right that he gets his chance. Brown’s counter-attacking ability is a genuine threat and the Quins flier ran in 7 tries this season. Chris Ashton came back in to try scoring form with aplomb with a hat-trick against the Barbarians at Twickenham in a 57-26 win. Ashton has vowed to save his controversial ‘swan dive’ for a spectacular length of the field or match winning try, however, he will look to get through as much work as possible and cross the try line in any shape or form. Foden has been selected on the wing; hopefully he will be quick to change his game management from full-back to the wing.

On the replacements bench, London Irish’s promising centre Jonathan Joseph gets the call to make his full debut if necessary. Joseph scored two tries against the Barbarians, his pace and running lines are incredible for such a young man. Elsewhere, Toby Flood joins him on the bench having struggled with injury at the end of the premiership season. Paul Doran Jones will have a crucial role to play in the final phases of the game as he comes on to solidify the set-piece. Phil Dowson will be another desperate to make an impact having been dropped with Morgan taking his place.

Prediction: England by 5 Lancaster’s side have been preparing for longer than the Springboks and England are desperate to stake a claim to be beat a Southern Hemisphere side in a test series away. The battle at scrum time is crucial; whoever gets ascendency in that department will have a distinct advantage. Hopefully England will play some expansive rugby as a defensive game will not be enough to topple South Africa. Substitutes will make a big impact on the game in the final quarter; hopefully Joseph will get a chance to run in space at a tired defence.


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