England change six, opt to take Farrell out of the firing line

Steve Borthwick has opted to keep Owen Farrell out of this Saturday’s England team to face Ireland, even though the skipper was cleared to play on with immediate effect following an independent disciplinary hearing on Tuesday.

The English captain had his yellow card last Saturday for a tackle on Wales’ Taine Basham upgraded to a red card sanction by a TMO bunker while he was sitting in the Twickenham sin bin hoping to return to the field.

It was decided at his subsequent disciplinary hearing that the colour of the card brandished to Farrell shouldn’t have changed from yellow to red, making him available for selection to take on the Irish at Aviva Stadium rather than serve a ban that could have affected his participation in the upcoming Rugby World Cup.

However, it was confirmed on Thursday morning that World Rugby are appealing the independent disciplinary hearing verdict and rather than stoke further controversy, England have decided to exclude Farrell from their latest Summer Nations Series match day 23.

Head coach Borthwick, who is scheduled to host a media briefing in Dublin on Thursday evening, said in a statement about the absence of Farrell: “In my original planning for the Summer Nations Series and as part of our Rugby World Cup preparation, Owen Farrell was due to be selected to play in this Saturday’s Test match in Dublin.

“However, in light of the fact that so much of Owen’s training and match preparation time this week has been significantly affected and interrupted by the disciplinary process, I have not selected him in the match day 23. Owen will travel to Ireland with our full support.

“Owen understands the situation but is of course disappointed, as I am, that he is missing such a special game that he would otherwise have played in.”

The omission of Farrell from a fixture against an Ireland team coached by his father Andy is one of six changes following the comeback 19-17 win over Wales in London which put an end to England’s recent three-game losing streak.

Four alterations in total are in the backline where Anthony Watson and Manu Tuilagi are given their first August starts with Henry Arundell omitted and Ollie Lawrence slipping to the bench.

With Freddie Steward, Joe Marchant and Elliot Daly all repeat starters, the other changes to the backs are at half-back where George Ford and Ben Youngs are promoted to take Farrell’s No10 spot and the vacancy left by Jack van Poortvliet, whose ankle injury has ruled him out of the World Cup.

There are just two changes to the England pack for a fixture against an Ireland XV containing 11 of the starters that clinched the Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam with a win over the English five months ago in Dublin.

Ellis Genge swaps roles with Joe Marler and the other switch is the naming of David Ribbans to partner Maro Itoje at lock following his recovery from an August 5 HIA in Cardiff.

Jamie George, Will Stuart, Itoje and the entire back row of this week’s skipper Courtney Lawes, Ben Earl and Billy Vunipola have been retained. The notable inclusion on the England bench is Ollie Chessum, who is back fit following last March’s ankle operation.

His selection, along with starts for Watson and Tuilagi, means that just three of the current World Cup 33 are yet to play this month ahead of the finals; the injury-rehabbing pair of Jack Walker and Tom Curry along with Alex Mitchell, the scrum-half called up last Monday to take the place of the unfortunate van Poortvliet.

England (vs Ireland, Saturday – 5:30pm)

15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 24 caps)

14. Anthony Watson (unattached, 55 caps)

13. Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 17 caps)

12. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 51 caps)

11. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 58 caps)

10. George Ford – vice-captain (Sale Sharks, 83 caps)

9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 123 caps)

1. Ellis Genge – vice-captain (Bristol Bears, 50 caps)

2. Jamie George (Saracens, 78 caps)

3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 27 caps)

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 68 caps)

5. David Ribbans (Toulon, 6 caps)

6. Courtney Lawes © (Northampton Saints, 98 caps)

7. Ben Earl (Saracens, 16 caps)

8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 69 caps)

Replacements:

16. Theo Dan (Saracens, 1 cap)

17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 80 caps)

18. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 62 caps)

19. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 9 caps)

20. Jack Willis (Toulouse, 11 caps)

21. Danny Care (Harlequins, 88 caps)

22. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 22 caps)

23. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 12 caps)