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Rugby team news: Willis to make England debut against Georgia

Updated / Thursday, 12 Nov 2020 17:58
Jack Willis has been called up
Jack Willis has been called up

Wasps flanker Jack Willis will make his England debut against Georgia at Twickenham on Saturday, while Worcester centre Ollie Lawrence and bath prop Will Stuart will get their first starts in the team's opening game of the Autumn Nations Cup.

Openside Willis was named the Premiership's Player of the year after his incredible breakdown performance this season - he made twice as many turnovers as any other player in the league - helped Wasps to the Premiership final, where they lost to Exeter.

England coach Eddie Jones named the team, which also featured Maro Itoje as blindside flanker behind a powerful second row pairing of Joe Launchbury and Charlie Ewels.

Elliot Daly, who missed the Six Nations win over Italy through injury, returns at full-back, with Jonathan Joseph and Jonny May taking the wing berths.

Ellis Genge gets a rare start at loosehead prop while Max Malins, Bristol's uncapped full-back on loan from Saracens, is named among the replacements.

Georgia have strengthened their pack but will have a new cap on the wing.

Coach Levan Maisashvili named Sandro Svanidze, a graduate of the country's under-20 team, on the wing for a first cap while former Exeter University lock Lasha Jaiani will play for only the third time after being brought into the squad following their 48-7 loss to Scotland in a warm-up test last month.

They are among eight changes from the side that lost at Murrayfield on 23 October.

Hooker Shalva Mamukashvili, a veteran of 75 caps, is restored to the front row while tighthead prop Beka Gigashvili and fullback Lasha Khmaladze return after injury.

Giorgi Tkhilaishvili is back on the flank with Giorgi Kveseladze to play at centre and Gela Aprasidze preferred to Vasil Lobzhanidze at scrum-half.

Georgia replaced Japan in the field for the new tournament and meet England for only the third time, having conceded 125 points in their previous meetings, both at World Cup tournaments.

Duncan Weir will make a first start for Scotland at fly-half since 2016 as one of four changes to the side to take on Italy in their Autumn Nations Cup clash in Florence on Saturday.

Weir makes a return to the number 10 jersey after injuries ruled our regulars Finn Russell and Adam Hastings, and will earn a 29th cap having also played on the wing and most recently at centre against France in March.

Ali Price will start alongside him at scrum-half and Sam Johnson at inside centre, with Chris Harris moving to the number 13 jersey as coach Gregor Townsend made three changes to backline that helped Scotland defeat Wales 14-10 in Cardiff in their final Six Nations match on 31 October.

There is also one change in the pack with hooker Stuart McInally starting, and packing down alongside props Zander Fagerson and Rory Sutherland.

Elsewhere, New Zealand coach Ian Foster has again reshuffled his side for their Tri-Nations match against Argentina on Saturday, bringing back several veteran players and reverting to virtually the same side that destroyed Australia two weeks ago.

The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 43-5 two weeks ago in Sydney before a much-changed team, that included four debutants, was beaten 24-22 by Australia in Brisbane last Saturday.

Fly-half Richie Mo'unga has been reinstated and Beauden Barrett shifted to full-back after the pair's tactical kicking and ability to exploit space helped them open up the Wallabies two weeks ago.

Caleb Clarke, Jack Goodhue and Aaron Smith have also been brought back into the backline, while Shannon Frizell has rejoined the first-choice loose forward combination with captain Sam Cane and Ardie Savea.

Loosehead prop Joe Moody also returned after he missed the last two games while tighthead prop Tyrel Lomax has earned his first test start and replaced Ofa Tuungafasi, who was banned for three weeks after being sent off in Brisbane.

Santiago Chocobares will make his test debut for Argentina fter being named at inside centre in coach Mario Ledesma's starting line-up.

The 21-year-old Jaguares back was one of three uncapped players named in the Pumas matchday squad along with flanker Santiago Grondona and fellow centre Lucio Cinti, who could make their debuts off the bench.

Chocobares will line up with Matias Orlando in midfield at Western Sydney Stadium on Saturday outside the experienced halfback pairing of scrum-half Tomas Cubelli and fly-half Nicolas Sanchez.

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