England are considering changing their back row by switching Maro Itoje to blindside flanker for the all‑important first Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday. The plan to start their new recruit, Ben Te’o, at inside centre, however, has struck a potential hitch after the former rugby league player was unable to train because of “muscle soreness”.
Moving Itoje from the second-row into the No6 jersey worn by Chris Robshaw throughout England’s triumphant Six Nations grand slam campaign would underline the determination of Eddie Jones, the head coach, to do whatever is necessary to secure a series win at the expense of a Wallabies squad coached by his former Randwick team‑mate Michael Cheika.
Itoje has played plenty of rugby in the back row and the move would allow Wasps’ Joe Launchbury to partner George Kruis in the second row. With James Haskell expected to remain at No7 for the time being, Robshaw is braced for potential disappointment at the team announcement on Thursday, having missed the pre-tour game against Wales at Twickenham last week to attend his brother’s wedding.
The decision would substantially alter the balance of the visiting back row as they prepare to renew acquaintance with the Australian duo of David Pocock and Michael Hooper, key figures in their country’s World Cup pool win at Twickenham in October last year. As well as his remarkable ability in the lineout, the 21-year-old Itoje’s breakdown work has been a feature of Saracens’ success in winning the Premiership and European titles last month.
England’s defence coach, Paul Gustard, has also emphasised “the balance between ball carriers” will be crucial as the touring squad seek to take the game to Australia and test them physically. “This game is of massive importance to us,” said Gustard, happy to use the same “Bodyline” rhetoric as the cricket-loving Jones before the opening Test.
“If we sit back and allow them to play we will come unstuck pretty fast. Bodyline was about saying we can’t come here and do what England have done before. That mantra of doing something different is also what we are trying to do. We are trying to attack a different way and pick a different team to what has been done before. It’s up to us to fill in the blanks.”
It was barely two months ago that Jones was describing Robshaw as his player of the Six Nations but, equally, he has made no secret of his desire to turn England into a more dynamic team. That also explains the rush to promote Te’o, who is joining Worcester this summer but has yet to play a single game of Premiership rugby. Having spent a decade playing rugby league in Australia and representing Samoa in the 13-a-side code before moving to Ireland with a view to qualifying through residence, he is eligible to play for England via his mother.
In the view of Gustard, the 29-year-old has made a good choice which, by its very nature, indicates a belief in the cause. “He’s made the decision to come here on the England tour, he’s not with Ireland or back with Australia. I think he has shown his allegiance by putting his foot in the camp. The boys may mock him and have a bit of fun with him but I think his decision proves where he wants to be. We weren’t allowed in the initiation, but I could hear them laughing and having fun.”
He insists there is no danger of another Sam Burgess situation, in which a league player is rushed prematurely into Test rugby union prematurely. “Sam Burgess was with different coaches and a different period,” Gustard said. “It’s up to us to make the correct decision to get the correct result. Physically, we can see he has something different to the other players. He has fitted in really well, the boys have taken to him and he’s a good lad.”
Cheika freely admits he would have liked to have been able to select Te’o in green and gold but says the Australian Rugby Union could not compete financially. “We would have been keen to have him back in Australia but clubs over there have too much money. He would have been back in Super Rugby but I’m not saying he would have been in this squad. Would I have said he would have been in this [England] squad? No.”
The Wallabies coach, meanwhile, is attempting to play down the rivalry with his opposite number, hoping not to be dragged into a pre-match verbal spat. “He hasn’t called me fat or bald or anything like that, he hasn’t been nasty,” Cheika said. “He’s just doing what he thinks his team needs. History has proven it’s not good to fight a war on two fronts so my focus has also been on our team. I think the players are loving the idea of being in camp together and getting ready to play for their country.”
