England has dusted off the old George Ford-Owen Farrell axis for their last Rugby World Cup pool game before the quarter-finals.
The English have won Pool D with three straight wins and are gearing up against Samoa on Sunday after a two-week break for the quarters next week.
Ford and Farrell at 10 and 12 was dreamed up by former coach Eddie Jones and helped England reached the 2019 final. The dual playmakers lasted to the end of the 2021 Six Nations, after which Marcus Smith was preferred at flyhalf with captain Farrell outside him. But England’s results declined.
When Steve Borthwick replaced the fired Jones last December, he gave Smith and Farrell the first game of the Six Nations this year then dropped it.
Farrell has been the flyhalf for most of the year when available, but Ford’s form in France — 41 points from the first two matches — has made Borthwick curious to see how they start together, without much risk.
“I’m excited to see that partnership grow,” Borthwick said on Thursday. “They’ve had periods in the latter part of the Chile test match together, but this is the first time they’ve started for England for a little while.”
Farrell and Ford have known each other since they were kids, and they talk all the time to align their understanding of what they see in training. Farrell said pairing up again had been easy.
“This week on the training field’s felt good,” Farrell said. “I’m obviously pretty close to George anyway, we speak about everything rugby-wise, regardless of what the team is anyway. We’re on the same page. We’ve kicked on since we last played together, hopefully we’ll show that at the weekend.”
England has 13 of the 15 who started against Argentina on the opening weekend, including flanker Tom Curry, who was sent off after three minutes. His suspension has finally ended.
The only changes are Farrell and Jonny May. May and fellow wing Joe Marchant have kept out Henry Arundell, who scored a record-tying five tries against Chile.
Farrell requires two more points to become England’s all-time leading point-scorer, and end Jonny Wilkinson’s 22-year reign.
Borthwick said flanker Jack Willis will return home and a neck injury against Chile, his only appearance of the pool stage. A replacement for the Toulouse back-rower will be named ahead of the quarterfinals.
Samoa picked a new tight five and four new backs including former All Black Lima Sopoaga.
The Samoans have a long-shot mathematical chance of qualifying for the quarterfinals but have a shot at a first win over England and automatic qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Hooker Sama Malolo has a second career start and first in the tournament after three maul tries in three appearances off the bench. Captain Michael Ala’alatoa and Jordan Lay fill out the front row and Brian Alainu’u’ese and Sam Slade go into the second row.
The locks in the 28-22 loss to Japan last week, British-based pair Theo McFarland and Steven Luatua, have been moved into the back row alongside Fritz Lee.
Sopoaga played the last 25 minutes of the opener against Chile then was sidelined by injury. He replaces Christian Leali’ifano and partners Jonathan Taumateine in the halves for the first time since the 17-13 warmup defeat to Ireland in Bayonne in late August.
Danny Toala replaces the injured D’Angelo Leuila at inside center and Samoa has new wings in Neria Foma’i and Nigel Ah Wong.
Samoa coach Seilala Mapusua was asked if they could take anything from Fiji’s historic win over England in the August warmups, and he said there wasn’t much.
“In terms of what Fiji did well, I suppose they were brilliantly Fijian,” he said. “If anything, what we can take from that is when we play against England is to be unapologetically Samoan.”
History
Played 8, England 8
TAB odds
England $1.08, Samoa $7, Draw $31
How to watch
Sky Sport 1 from 4.45am Sunday
Herald prediction
England 45 Samoa 14
Lineups
England: Freddie Steward, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (captain), Jonny May, George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Courtney Lawes, Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje, Dan Cole, Jamie George, Ellis Genge. Reserves: Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, George Martin, Billy Vunipola, Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Ollie Lawrence.
Samoa: Duncan Paia’aua, Nigel Ah-Wong, Tumua Manu, Danny Toala, Neria Foma’i, Lima Sopoaga, Jonathan Taumateine; Steven Luatua, Fritz Lee, Theo McFarland, Brian Alainu’u’ese, Sam Slade, Michael Ala’alatoa (captain), Sama Malolo, Jordan Lay. Reserves: Seilala Lam, James Lay, Paul Alo-Emile, Sootala Fa’aso’o, Alamanda Motuga, Melani Matavao, Christian Leali’ifano, Miracle Failagi.
