George Ford has been selected as the fly-half for England’s opening autumn Test against Australia at Allianz Stadium this Saturday. Fin Smith from Northampton will begin the match on the bench, and there is no place for Harlequins’ Marcus Smith in the 23-man squad.
Tommy Freeman, who played as a right winger during the recent British and Irish Lions series, will transition to outside centre alongside his Northampton teammate Fraser Dingwall. Scrum-half Alex Mitchell expressed excitement over Freeman’s new role, noting his adaptability: “He will be as good at 13 as he is on the wing… He’s got the speed, the power, the height. We know he’s one hell of a player.”
Dingwall, 26, previously paired with Freeman during England’s impressive Six Nations victory over Wales. Their selection comes ahead of in-form alternatives Henry Slade from Exeter Chiefs and Ollie Lawrence, who recently returned from a ruptured Achilles injury.
Also noteworthy is the inclusion of Sale’s Tom Roebuck, who scored two tries in his debut Test against Argentina, and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who has made a strong start to the season after returning from suspension. Freddie Steward takes the full-back position, where Marcus Smith played during the Six Nations, while Coach Steve Borthwick is relying on players who performed well in prior matches.
In the pack, Bath flankers Guy Pepper and Sam Underhill will take the field alongside Ben Earl from Saracens at number eight. Sale hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie is set to earn his 50th cap off the bench, alongside Tom Curry who may make his first appearance this season.
The England team facing Australia includes: Steward; Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Feyi-Waboso; Ford, Mitchell; Baxter, George, Heyes, Itoje (captain), Chessum, Pepper, Underhill, Earl.
This upcoming Test offers both teams a chance to showcase their preparations, with England looking to build momentum after a successful Six Nations campaign. Fans are eager for an exciting encounter as England steps onto the pitch against a formidable Australian side.
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