In the upcoming showdown, Steve Borthwick is poised to reunite the dynamic midfield partnership of George Ford and Owen Farrell as England takes on Samoa in their final Pool D encounter this Saturday.
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The Telegraph reports that Ford will make his return as the fly half, reuniting with Farrell, who will shift to the inside centre position. This pairing, a mainstay during the last World Cup cycle under the guidance of Eddie Jones leading up to the 2019 final, is set to make their first start together since March 2021.
The decision to drop Henry Arundell and Marcus Smith from the starting lineup has sparked some discontent among England fans.
Borthwick’s squad is on the hunt for their fourth consecutive victory in this World Cup, returning to the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille, where they previously dominated Chile with a remarkable 71-0 victory on September 23rd. During that match, England saw standout performances with tries from Henry Arundell (5), Theo Dan (2), Bevan Rodd, Marcus Smith (2), and Jack Willis, complemented by 16 points from Owen Farrell’s precise kicking.
England has already secured a spot in the quarter-finals following Japan’s 28-22 victory over Samoa last weekend. A win in their upcoming match will not only solidify their position at the top of Pool D but also set the stage for a showdown with the runners-up from Pool C in the first knockout stage.
Samoa, on the other hand, kicked off their Rugby World Cup campaign with an impressive 43-10 victory over Chile in Bordeaux. However, they faced defeat in Saint-Etienne, succumbing to a 19-10 loss against Michael Cheika’s Argentina. Their most recent encounter in Toulouse against Japan saw tries from Seilala Lam, Duncan Paia’aua, and Christian Leali’ifano, but they were unable to overcome a determined Japanese side.
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Expected England XV:
15. Freddie Steward
14.Jonny May
13. Manu Tuilagi
12. Owen Farrell
11. Joe Marchant