England V Australia Saturday 9th November

First topic message reminder :

After the disappointment of the NZ defeat what team should we play against the Wallabies? A defeat in this match would be an undoubted disaster and of course the boys need some confidence before taking on the mighty SA so a decent performance and a victory are the must have requirements.

We cannot afford another scrummaging disaster so surely Marler has to return at the expense of Baxter? He needs a hit out to get ready for the bomb squad. I would also love to replace Dombrandt with Willis. Anything else?

England team to face Australia: G Furbank; I Feyi-Waboso, O Lawrence, H Slade, T Freeman; M Smith, B Spencer; E Genge, J George, W Stuart, M Itoje, G Martin, C Cunningham-South, T Curry, B Earl.

Replacements: L Cowan-Dickie, F Baxter, D Cole, N Isiekwe, A Dombrandt, H Randall, G Ford, O Sleightholme.

Which all actually raises the point I was making in the second part. Why bother swapping their shirts now? Unless it's so the fans have something to talk about

Re Steward at 12. I'm a Tigers fan that wants to see it. I think his most valuable skill is his ability to get over the gain line. It's not his best skill. That's obviously the high ball work, where he's as good as anyone in the world. It's also relatively easy to diffuse someone being great in the air. You just don't kick to compete as much. Or kick to compete elsewhere. Whereas someone getting over the gain line can be of use every time you're in possession. He might be the best player in a game at taking a high ball by a distance, yet only the 2nd or 3rd best back across both sides at getting over the gain line. I still think that is more valuable skill given the frequency with which it can be used though. Whilst his high ball work can still be used as a chaser. I've said it a few times, but Steward and Freeman as centres, chasing bombs up centre field is something I'd tactically love to see. No sign of Steward being shifted yet though.

Re changing the shirt numbers. The hilarious reason would be a typo. The tactical reason I can see is that the England blitz has shifted subtly at eye level but significantly in terms of the 13s role.

In the Six Nations they had insane line speed matching the Boks model they copied, out 'only' to the 13 channel. The wingers weren't quite as aggressive. Mostly, they hung back slightly to make covering the ground outside Slade easier. More akin to the blitz under Gustard. Over the summer, the wingers came higher, tighter and started leading the line speed. It's higher risk, it makes wing arguably the toughest defensive job in the side, it also adds potency. By and large, it's shown huge promise. I hope they stick with it. It means that the wingers have to cover about half the pitch, often with 3 man overlaps. IFW and Freeman are doing that though. Whilst the locks, back rows and Slade are doing an outstanding job on flooding round to cover the outside - in turn an impressive Kolisi, PSdt and Kriel/Am impression.

That change raises the interesting question of whether you want your defensive leader at 12 or 13? When 13 was leading the line speed, Slade was the obvious man as he's so good defensively and Chiefs use him in that role. If the wingers are leading the line and setting the width, is there an argument to have your best defensive communicator tighter in? Try to have Slade one place nearer the ruck, basically next to the stack of forwards in the fringe defence. Is that are valuable place to communicate from? Outside their own 22, England's 10s are being used more frequently in a Faf de Klerk or Tomos Williams style 'SH sniper' role where they fly up to be disruptive. Near the line, they're generally wider out. Either way, they aren't key defensive leaders in this system. Slade at 13 means that the winger leading your line speed and the guy most key to keeping alignment are next to each other. I think they potentially want to have a bit more separation there, put their defensive leader in the best place to communicate to the inside defence as well as the outside. Whilst also seeing what Lawrence's acceleration can offer as the penultimate defender flying up to keep pace with that openside winger who's leading the rush.

A more simplistic look would be suggesting it just puts Slade opposite Kerevi. They didn't do that either in shirt numbers or positioning for Jordie in the last three ABs games. Nor for Aki in the Six Nations. Lawrence is becoming a decent defender in that 12 channel too. He's making good decisions, solid hits and is a jackal threat that slows down ball. I don't really see why they'd make the shift for one Oz player. I think it's more likely a view to evolving the system under Joe El Abd.