Farrell and Ford were the mainstays of the England team heading into the 2019 World Cup final. Photo: PA/David Davies
Steve Borthwick is poised to replicate the midfield partnership of George Ford and Owen Farrell in the Group D final against Samoa on Saturday, with Joe Marchant preparing for a surprise start on the wing.
Ford was ready recalled in the second half to play alongside Farrell, who moves into the centre. Having been the main partner of the last World Championship cycle under Eddie Jones leading up to the 2019 final, this will be their first start together since March 2021.
It is understood Borthwick wanted to try the combination again in the World Cup warm-up match away to Ireland, but Farrell received a red card in the previous game against Wales, resulting in the England captain serving a four-match ban. suspense. Ford came on early in the second half against Chile, with Marcus Smith also playing at full-back in the next half. Smith will likely have to settle for a place on the bench, while Freddie Steward is expected to return at number 15.
Marchand is valued for his versatility, but until now Borthwick has used him exclusively as an outside centre. According to Telegraph Sport, the 27-year-old has earned a place on the wing ahead of Henry Arundell, who scored a record five tries in the 71-0 thrashing of Chile. Jonny May and defender Steward complete the back three.
Sinclair: Fans don't know what's really going on in our camp
Manu Tuilagi is set to face Samoa, the country where he was born, for the first time in his career and teammate Kyle Sinclair says he will be excited about the occasion. «Obviously Manu has been in the area for a while but he's never actually played against Samoa,» Sinclair said. “So I think he's looking forward to it and it should be fun.”
England have already clinched a place in the quarter-finals after three wins in Group D but have made it clear they have no intention of giving up. off the pedal against Samoa and are expected to field a strong team with the likes of Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes and Ben Earl all set to return.
After entering the World Cup on a run of five defeats in six games, the mood around England in France has changed, although a Sinclair supporter claims the players always believed they would succeed in the tournament. .
“The warm-up was disappointing, but in my experience it’s more of a process of getting on your feet, getting minutes and getting out of the game without too many bumps and bruises,” Sinclair said. “As soon as we landed in Le Touquet we were ready to go, our training intensified, our energy increased. We felt better and we just had more confidence. This is due to the preparation that we have done.
“I have done many pre-season camps and this was one of the most difficult, but also the most intelligent, of all the ones I have been involved in. As a team, we're very focused on what's important to us rather than the expectations of others and people who don't know what's really going on within the group. Guys, it's great that you believe in us, but we believed in ourselves from day one and that will never change.»
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