Sam Simmonds is poised for a first England start after Nathan Hughes was ruled out of England’s final autumn Test against Samoa on Saturday. Eddie Jones has also omitted the British & Irish Lions Anthony Watson and Jonathan Joseph in a number of changes made to his squad.
Hughes misses out with a bruised knee while Charlie Ewels and Nick Isiekwe will be part of the match-day squad and Alex Lozowski is expected to feature, having been retained in the 25-man squad. Simmonds, 23, has made brief cameo appearances off the bench in both autumn Tests so far but with Hughes out for up to a month and Sam Underhill due to be rested, he is set to line up against Samoa.
Neither Watson nor Joseph are injured but Jones has Mike Brown – who took a full part in training on Tuesday – available again after a head injury while Lozowski, who missed out against Australia after an eye-catching cameo against Argentina, is pushing for a start.
Lozowski may replace his Saracens team-mate Owen Farrell – a peripheral figure in training – in the No12 jersey with George Ford potentially continuing at fly-half and Henry Slade slotting in at outside-centre in place of Joseph. If that is the case, it would be the same 10-12-13 combination fielded by Jones in the first Test against Argentina over the summer.
“For a first go over in Argentina, it wasn’t too bad for a first outing together. George and Henry are both very creative and unbelievably talented players so it was a joy to play with them,” said Lozowski. “Hopefully we can do the same this weekend. We will try and gel nicely and then take confidence from the way we have trained and hopefully create some opportunities at the weekend.”
Brown’s return to fitness is a boost for Jones, who has taken the opportunity to rest Watson – a starter all three British & Irish Lions Tests in New Zealand. In the forwards, both Ewels and Isiekwe will be named in the matchday 23, along with Joe Launchbury but George Kruis is again sent back to Saracens. Maro Itoje and Chris Robshaw appear favourites to be Jones’s selected flankers. Courtney Lawes is also an option either at lock or back row.
With Jones naming three loosehead props, one of Mako Vunipola, Joe Marler and Ellis Genge will make way on Thursday, while the other to be omitted is set to be one of Farrell, Slade, Lozowski or Piers Francis – another who is retained for the first time this autumn – when Jones names his starting XV.
The indications, however, are that Lozowski will make the cut. “Every time you get a chance to play it is a massive opportunity,” he added. “You are in a fortunate position to be playing for England so you have to give it your all because you don’t know when the next game will come along.”
England have won all seven previous meetings with Samoa, who were defeated by Romania last weekend and are currently 16th in the world rankings. As a result, England are expected to win handsomely but earlier this week Jones warned that “traditionally Samoans have always wanted to hit hard”.
Lozowski however, is relishing a physical contest. “I do enjoy it. It is a hugely important part of the game,” he said. “I am preparing to hit hard and hit well because if you can get in those good dominant tackles you can slow down the speed of ball and hopefully get your defence on the front foot.”
Full squad: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Elliot Daly (Wasps), Jonny May (Leicester), Semesa Rokoduguni (Bath), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester), Piers Francis (Northampton), Alex Lozowski (Saracens), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ben Youngs (Leicester), Charlie Ewels (Bath), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Launchbury (Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Dan Cole (Leicester), Ellis Genge (Leicester), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter).
