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Late change for England as Jack Nowell drops out
By Liam Heagney
England have been forced into a late change for their Autumn Nations Series game versus Japan as winger Jack Nowell has been withdrawn with injury before the pre-game warm-up at Twickenham. His place on the right wing has gone to Joe Cokanasiga, last week’s starting left wing who had lost his place to face the Japanese to the fit-again Jonny May.
An RFU update read: “Jack Nowell has withdrawn from the England squad who will face Japan today due to an abdominal wall injury. Joe Cokanasiga will replace him in the England XV on at right wing.”
Vice-captain Nowell was set to win his 44th cap but instead a reprieve has been handed to Cokanasiga, one of five players who started last Sunday’s defeat to Argentina who were omitted at Thursday’s latest team naming.
The exclusion of Cokanasiga was of three backline changes by Jones, who also included Jack van Poortvliet in place of the benched Ben Youngs and summer tour midfielder Guy Porter at outside centre with Manu Tuilagi dropping to the bench.
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Latest Comments
Everything ok, but I honestly don't get it. What's the point? I guess it's good to have a hooker/flanker option in anycase, ok, but what has that to do with the Jamie George's amount of minutes on or off the field him being captain? If his performance really dips early in the second halves and you have to pull him out, you're then going to lose your captain on stage whoever subtitutes him, no matter if it is a pure two or an hybrid player instead.
Go to commentsNZ are rebuilding around some very experienced and accomplished players. Wales not. Their starting 15 has fewer caps than about 3 of the more experienced Boks.
Whoever the Welsh head coach is, they are going to need at least another 12 months to start showing real success.
It would be crazy to move on from Gatland, IMV.
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