Autumn Internationals

Chris Ashton, Underhill and Moon in England team to face All Blacks

by
The Rugby Paper Team
8 November 2018

Chris Ashton is among three changes made by England head coach Eddie Jones for his team to play New Zealand on Saturday.
Ashton’s selection will mark his first start for England since 2014 when he won the last of his 40 caps, and the Sale wing is joined in the starting XV by Exeter prop Ben Moon and Bath flanker Sam Underhill.
Underhill continues a trend by Jones of starting out-and-out 7s on the openside flank, having shifted Chris Robshaw to the blindside. The 22-year-old replaces Tom Curry in the back row after he limped off with an ankle injury in the second-half of England’s 12-11 victory over the Springboks.
Loosehead Moon comes in to start for Exeter Chiefs teammate Alec Hepburn who drops to the bench along with Jack Nowell.
Centre Manu Tuilagi and lock Courtney Lawes resumed full training this week and have been pushing for a place in the matchday squad. But there is room only Lawes in the match-day 23 when he will be joined on the replacements bench by Bath lock Charlie Ewels.
“The expectation for Saturday is no different to any other Test match,” Jones said upon the announcement of the team.
“We want to be at our best, better than we were in the previous Test match, and we want to play with pride and passion which ignites the fan.
“It’s been a good week, the players have recovered well, trained well on Tuesday, exceptionally well on Wednesday and we look forward to the challenge of taking on New Zealand on Saturday.
“The crowd last week was wonderful. We had great support and enthusiasm for the game and they saw a great Test match, and I’m sure on Saturday they will see another.”

England team to play New Zealand at Twickeham on Saturday (KO 15:00)

England: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ben Te’o, 11 Jonny May, 10 Owen Farrell (co-capt), 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Ben Moon, 2 Dylan Hartley (co-capt), 3 Kyle Sinckler, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Kruis, 6 Brad Shields, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Mark Wilson.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Courtney Lawes, 21 Danny Care, 22 George Ford, 23 Jack Nowell.