Neil Back

Underdogs England can win

Thu Nov 05 11:19AM

It's no secret that Martin Johnson's choices have been severely curtailed by injuries ahead of the opening autumn international with Australia.

His team is what it is because of the situation.

As always, there are a few positions that could have gone the other way, and I think James Haskell has been a bit unlucky to miss out on the number eight spot to Jordan Crane.

It's an all-Leicester back row and, as far as I know, the first time England have gone with all three of the loose forwards from the same club.

Crane's familiarity playing with club-mates Lewis Moody and Tom Croft might just have got him the nod, and maybe Haskell's move to France held him back a bit, even though he's been playing well for Stade Francais.

On form, I think ‘Moodos' just about deserves his place ahead of Steffon Armitage, though I thought the London Irish openside might get the nod because of the fetchers in the Wallabies team.

But Moodos is a special player and you always get 100 per cent from him. I think he could prove to be a shrewd selection.

It's good to see Steve Thompson back in the side too, though Dyland Hartley's recent hamstring problem may have played a part in that selection. Steve will bring some much needed experience to the front row.

No doubt Ben Foden will also have been in Johnno's thoughts for the full-back role, which has gone to Ugo Monye. I've no doubt Foden will be involved at some stage during the next month.

I expected Courtney Lawes to see some action against the Aussies and it doesn't surprise me that he is not starting.

He's young, though extremely talented, and I think he can make a big impact off the bench. I'm very much looking forward to how he copes at this level.

I think the team Johnno has picked has the ability to do the basics well and if they can secure good set-piece ball then in Jonny Wilkinson and Shane Geraghty they have a very good balance at 10 and 12.

Both are excellent passers and offer a left-foot, right-foot kicking combination. I expect to see them alternate the first receiver role at times during the game, which should keep the Aussies guessing because of Geraghty's attacking threat.

With Dan Hipkiss at outside centre, England do not have the biggest midfield and maybe Johnno has gone for this combination because the Wallabies centre partnership isn't that big at then moment either, especially with Stirling Mortlock out.

Hipkiss stands up in the tackle superbly and is deceptively strong, but we do not have the bulkiest of backlines until we get to the back three.

England will be underdogs going into the match because of their injuries and I think this will put pressure on the Aussies. But it is a game England can win, no doubt about it.

If England's set-piece gets off to a good start, then in Jonny they have a playmaker who can put them in the right parts of the field.

I think England will adopt a fairly simple game-plan based around the set-piece and Jonny's kicking, which I think is sensible when you consider how few caps there are in this team and how little they know each other.

The Aussies have not been fly high this year - they've lost six of their last seven - though they will be battle hardened from their clashes with South Africa and New Zealand this year.

But if England can secure their own ball early on and get a few points on the board, then doubts will start to creep into Aussie minds.

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