Stuart Lancaster looking to make changes – Rugby News Update
Stuart Lancaster, the head coach of England, is contemplating his line-up for the second test against South Africa at Johannesburg on Saturday, June 16.
England is currently on tour of South Africa, where they are to play a three-match test series against the Springboks, along with taking part in two other midweek games. They lost the first test convincingly, and two of the players received injuries.
England had to endure an injury to Mike Brown, who has flown back home to recover from the hand injury, while Brad Barritt had a minor operation on his eye. Both these players are unavailable, and Lancaster has the arduous task of selecting a team that replaces
his centre, while maintaining the balance.
Manu Tuilagi, the 21-year-old Leicester Tigers and England centre is likely to line-up in the middle with Jonathan Joseph, who is set to earn his first international start.
"Manu predominantly played his age-grade rugby on the wing," Lancaster said. "So there is that but I am trying to find people to fit roles and I think 13 is still an area we need to look at.”
He further added, "I have said all along you have got to make sure you have different options in different positions. We have still got some decisions to make but it is an honest group and we have worked hard as a team and in units to identify the areas
that we need to work on. Everyone takes responsibility for it."
Tuilagi has been an England regular since making his debut against Wales at Twickenham, on August 6, 2011. He has started all of the 11 games he has played, and was a regular at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, starting all 5 games.
Joseph, the 21-year-old London Irish winger, who can also play in the centre, is relatively unknown at the international level but his domestic form for his club earned him a nomination for the Land Rover Discovery of the Season Award. He did not win the
prize but he got on to the plane for the tour of South Africa.
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