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Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground Date: Saturday, 16 July Kick-off: 10:55 BST |
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and live text commentary on BBC Sport website and app. |
Leicester lock Ollie Chessum will make his first start for England in the series-deciding third Test against Australia on Saturday.
Chessum replaces Maro Itoje, who has been ruled out of the game at Sydney Cricket Ground with concussion.
With Sam Underhill also out with concussion, Lewis Ludlam starts on the openside flank.
In the one change to the backline, Danny Care is at scrum-half with Jack van Poortvliet on the bench.
Care started the 30-28 defeat in the first Test, but dropped to the bench in Brisbane with van Poortvliet making his first England start as Eddie Jones’ side won 25-17 to level the series.
Jones says Care has been “fantastic on tour” while van Poortvliet is being managed after the emotional high of the second Test.
“Jack had a big emotional week last week, and we just want him to take a little bit less responsibility this week,” Jones said.
“We’ve had a squad of 36 this tour who have competed hard and we’re really proud of their efforts.
“We go into this Test with a strong squad of 23. It’s a young, inexperienced but together group who have developed well throughout this series.
“We want to play with purpose and energy to win the series and a historic Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.”
Meanwhile flanker Jack Willis has recovered from a rib injury and is named among the replacements.
Willis is set for his first involvement in the series, as is Nick Isiekwe, who is also named on the bench along with the teenage backs Will Joseph and Henry Arundell.
Both Arundell and Joseph were originally selected in the squad as apprentice players, but Jones says their training performances have forced his hand.
“They have been so good at training, we couldn’t not include them in the 23,” Jones added to BBC 5 live.
Analysis
Chris Jones, BBC rugby union correspondent
Chessum and Ludlam deserve their starts after strong performances off the bench during this series, but the absences of Itoje and Underhill – two stalwarts of the Eddie Jones regime – will nonetheless be keenly felt.
However Australia are also badly hit by injuries, and while their backline still looks strong on paper, their forward pack is especially stretched.
Meanwhile, Jones’ selection of Care over Van Poortvliet is intriguing, given how well the latter played in the second Test.
Care’s experience will be an asset in a must-win game, but it leaves England with three backs replacements on the bench with a total of five caps between them.
Teams
Australia: Hodge, Wright, Paisami, Kerevi, Koroibete, Lolesio, White, Valetini, Hooper (capt), Wilson, Philip, Frost, Tupou, Porecki, Slipper.
Replacements: Fainga’a, Bell, Ala’alatoa, Leota, Samu, McDermott, Ikitau, Vunivalu.
England: Steward, Nowell, Porter, Farrell, Freeman, Smith, Care, B Vunipola, Ludlam, Lawes (capt), Hill, Chessum, Stuart, George, Genge.
Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Heyes, Isiekwe, Willis, Van Poortvliet, Joseph, Arundell.
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