Watch Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina live on Sky Sports this Saturday
We hear from the England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland camps ahead of the weekend’s crucial second Tests of the summer tours, live on Sky Sports.
Jones: England side the future | “Amazingly explosive” Tupou back for Wallabies
England head coach Eddie Jones pulled a surprise with his team selection in picking uncapped duo Guy Porter and Tommy Freeman at centre and wing respectively, while also selecting scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet for his first start a week on from his Test debut.
The net result is that Jones has named the youngest backline vs a Tier-1 nation in his six years in charge, with Owen Farrell (30) the only player over the age of 25.
Jones has resisted the temptation to start Henry Arundell after his stunning impact off the bench last week, scoring a try and making another, with the London Irish wing named among the replacements again and likely to be called upon.
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England’s Jamie George looks ahead to the future and says his very excited about England’s younger players such as Tommy Freeman, Guy Porter and Henry Arundell
“We believe this is the future of the team going forward and we feel they’re ready,” Jones said.
“Porter plays with a lot of punch. He takes it to the line, he gets between defenders well and the way Australia defend you’ve got to be able to do that. Freeman finds the ball and Jack’s an exciting young player.
“They’re even-keeled, they get on with the job, they’ve trained really well in the time we’ve had them and they look ready to play.”
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Eddie Jones talks through some of his squad selections ahead of the second Test against Australia
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Jones says he has seen signs that Sam Underhill is returning to his best form
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Highlights of the first Test as 14-man Australia claimed victory vs England in Perth
The other change to the side by Jones sees Bath openside flanker Sam Underhill brought in, with the back-row tasked with challenging and limiting the influence of Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper at the breakdown.
“At his [Underhill] best he’s one of the most destructive sevens in the world. His tackle and his poach ability is high class,” Jones added.
Upon his recall, Underhill said: “We controlled areas of the game pretty well for a decent chunk of the game but ultimately penalties and discipline cost us.
“Whether the breakdown was more competitive than we thought it would be or not, we didn’t adapt to the interpretation at the breakdown.
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Australia’s Michael Hooper says he does not expect a drop in quality as Sam Underhill comes in to start for England in place of Tom Curry for the second Test
“You can’t have an attack without a functioning attacking breakdown and vice versa – you can’t defend indefinitely, so the breakdown is a pretty good area to target if you want to stifle an attack.
“It is always a massive area of contention, especially in Test rugby against southern hemisphere sides and especially Australia who go pretty hard at it. If you get the breakdown right everything else becomes easier.
“Hooper is obviously a big breakdown threat. It’s not a case of man-marking him but as a team you are acutely aware that if he’s around the breakdown it’s highly likely he’ll be competing. You have to shift him early because he’s good over the ball.”
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Courtney Lawes says he expects England to be more direct in the second test against Australia in Brisbane
Australia coach Dave Rennie said his team would be wary if England decide to throw the ball about as the Wallabies look to extend their 10-match winning streak at Lang Park in Brisbane on Saturday.
“History will say they’ll be prepared to kick a bit of ball and choke us,” he told media. “What we saw (last week) when they got a fair way behind on the scoreboard, they played, and finished pretty strong.”
Rennie made five changes to his starting line-up, mostly forced by injury and suspension. One that was purely tactical was the return of talented prop Taniela Tupou.
“He’s [Tupou] amazingly explosive for a big man,” said Rennie. “The scrum’s a big thing, very, very powerful. We’re excited to have him back.”
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England forward Ellis Genge, who will come up against Australia’s Taniela Tupou, says the second Test is ‘all or nothing’
Tupou added: “It’s not personal, but it is personal. I will do what is best for the team but when you get out there you want to be better than your opposition.
“Ellis Genge is going to come out there and try to give it to me and smash me. I will do exactly the same thing. I want to give it to him. We will see what happens out there.
“As a loosehead, he can run the ball, he can tackle and he can scrum. This week will be the first time I have played him. It will be a big challenge but I need to focus on myself and what I can do.”
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Sky Sports’ David Flatman is not surprised by Jones’ England squad selection for the second Test against Australia
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Former England centre Will Greenwood reviews England’s loss to Australia in the first Test over the weekend and why Jones needs to pick between Owen Farrell and Marcus Smith
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Guy Porter, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Tommy Freeman, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Courtney Lawes (c), 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Lewis Ludlam, 21 Jack Willis, 22 Danny Care, 23 Henry Arundell.
Australia: 15 Jordan Petaia, 14 Tom Wright, 13 Hunter Paisami, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Nic White; 1 Angus Bell, 2 David Porecki, 3 Taniela Tupou, 4 Matt Philip, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 6 Rob Leota, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 8 Rob Valetini.
Replacements: 16 Folau Fainga’a, 17 Scott Sio, 18 James Slipper, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Izaia Perese.
Farrell: Ireland players deserve redemption chance | All Black lineout vulnerability?
For Ireland, head coach Andy Farrell insisted his players deserved a shot at redemption despite last weekend’s frustrating series-opening loss in Auckland.
Ireland, despite dominating the first half hour, were caught by three quick-fire All Blacks tries, and ended up losing 42-19. Farrell has chosen to stick with the vast majority of the starting XV, with the only change seeing Mack Hansen come in for Keith Earls.
“There’s all sorts of different ramifications that go into selection, sometimes players probably have not performed to the standards they judge themselves on,” said Farrell.
“To not give people a chance to correct that is sometimes missing an opportunity, so there’s a little bit of that.
“Some people are unlucky probably not to start because they had good impact off the bench etc, they understand that as well.
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Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says his squad understand where they need to improve if they are to beat New Zealand in the second Test in Dunedin
“This has been more of a straightforward week obviously, and a lot of the lads have an opportunity to go again.
“To be honest the lads are in a good place, obviously now, the Thursday before a Test match you would expect them to be.
“But even early in the week, there’s a bit of doubt comes in when you don’t know the answers – but they know the answers, they know the bits that they need to get right.
“They know the access they gave the All Blacks and they know that they can’t do that.
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Sky Sports’ Alan Quinlan says Ireland must find a full 80 minute performance against New Zealand in the second test in Dunedin
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Ireland attack coach Mike Catt says they need to improve their accuracy to take their chances against New Zealand in the second test in Dunedin.
“They know first hand that if you do that you’ll be behind your own posts. There’s been a few things to fix, and there’s a bit of excitement to build up now.”
The All Blacks have made one change too, with Blues flanker Dalton Papalii starting at blindside as Scott Barrett shifts to the second row in place of the injured Sam Whitelock (concussion) – the loss of whom may provide Ireland a chance to target the lineout.
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster: “We saw last week two very good rugby teams on the pitch.
“We know they are going to be desperate to keep the series alive. We’ve spoken about that, but talking is one thing and doing is another. We are very determined.”
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Highlights from Eden Park as New Zealand came back to beat Ireland
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Will Greenwood reflects on Ireland’s recent Test defeat to New Zealand, where Andy Farrell’s men struggled despite taking an early lead.
Ireland: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Johnny Sexton (c),9 Jamison Gibson Park; 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Caelan Doris.
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Kieran Treadwell, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Bundee Aki.
New Zealand: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Leicester Faingaanuku, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith; 1 George Bower, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 4 Brodie Retallick, 5 Scott Barrett, 6 Dalton Papalii, 7 Sam Cane (c), 8 Ardie Savea.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukeiaho, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Angus Taavao, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Richie Mounga, 23 Will Jordan.
Wales seek discipline improvement | South African disrespect?
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac accepts his side need to show “a lot more discipline” when they target a Test series-levelling victory over South Africa on Saturday.
Wales face the Springboks in Bloemfontein after a pulsating first Test that world champions South Africa won 32-29 following Damian Willemse’s penalty with the game’s final kick.
While Wales went toe to toe with South Africa and produced one of the best performances of Pivac’s coaching reign, they were also punished heavily by referee Nika Amashukeli.
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Former Wales international Jamie Roberts says nobody expected such a strong Welsh performance against South Africa after a disappointing Six Nations
The Georgian official yellow-carded four Wales players – Dan Biggar, Alun Wyn Jones, Louis Rees-Zammit and Rhys Carre – with the tourists briefly reduced to 12 men during a frantic finale.
Pivac said: “It is really a matter of focusing on what we can bring to the game, and hopefully that is going to be a lot more discipline than last week, because we let ourselves down clearly in that area of the game.
“To hold South Africa as close as we did for as long as we did, with the penalty count as it was, is a testament to some of the good work we did do.
“We know there were areas in the game which we need to improve on in terms of our discipline, but we felt also that there were some things which didn’t go our way.”
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Wayne Pivac discusses squad changes and expectations ahead of Wales’ second Test against South Africa, as well as pinpointing where his side went wrong last time out
South Africa have chosen to make 14 changes ahead of the second Test – something Wales great Gareth Edwards has taken as a show of disrespect by the Boks.
“The big disappointment for me was to learn South Africa are going to change virtually their whole team,” Edwards said.
“I suppose the only way they can justify it is if they win. I think it shows a little bit of disrespect.
“If there had been five or six changes, you would maybe have raised an eyebrow. But 14 changes, it’s overwhelming.
“I don’t think it shows respect for Wales and, looking logically, there is only one way [for Wales] to view it and that’s to give them a good ‘tonking’, as they say.
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Martin Gillingham talks through Wales’ team news in South Africa, as well as the Boks making 14 changes
“It is a great opportunity to beat them and say: ‘Thank you very much for picking that team’.
“I think they [the Wales players] are probably talking to each other and saying: ‘Right boys, that’s what they think of us’. I think it is great motivation for Wales.”
Of South Africa’s team selection, Pivac added: “We are in a different part of the cycle; really we’re at the end of our season, they’re at the start of theirs. They’ll have their reasoning why they did it.
“They’ve got depth and quality throughout the squad and some experience in this team. So we’re certainly not taking them lightly at all.”
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Will Greenwood says Wales will not have a better opportunity to win in South Africa than in their ‘heart-breaking’ last gasp defeat in the first Test
South Africa’s Jacques Nienaber said: “We’ll never choose a team we believe can’t win. I’ve said it many times before. This isn’t a platform for development.
“You have to perform. That’s the most important and only requirement. It will be tight because we’re facing a Wales team desperate to still win this series.”
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Former South Africa international Bryan Habana says their team selection vs Wales is not disrespectful
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Highlights of the first Test as South Africa beat Wales in Pretoria with the final kick
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 George North, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Alex Cuthbert, 10 Dan Biggar (c), 9 Kieran Hardy; 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Dillon Lewis, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Adam Beard, 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Alun Wyn Jones, 20 Josh Navidi, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Josh Adams.
South Africa: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Aphelele Fassi, 10 Handre Pollard (c), 9 Jaden Hendrikse; 1 Thomas du Toit, 2 Joseph Dweba, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Marvin Orie, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Evan Roos.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Deon Fourie, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Damian Willemse.
Townsend: Second Argentina Test a cup semi-final
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is looking for his charges to make the most of any opportunity to use the ball in the second Test against Argentina as he welcomed the chance to pick his first-choice back row.
Hamish Watson will return from a shoulder injury to win his 50th Scotland cap on Saturday while fellow flanker Rory Darge is also back in the starting line-up following injury.
Townsend has made five changes in all following a 26-18 defeat in the opening Test, when Scotland failed to recover from a poor first half which saw them restricted to kicking two penalties, struggling to get into the opposition half with ball in hand, and conceding two late tries.
“It’s a cup semi-final and we have got to make sure we put our game out there. We didn’t do that at the weekend,” Townsend said.
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Will Greenwood says that Argentina were very impressive against Scotland over the weekend in the first Test
“We were, I suppose, frustrated with the performance and the errors that we made but frustrated with the game, it became stop-start. It was the lowest ball-in-play time we have ever had as a team.
“We know this tour is about a number of things: it’s about seeing a group of players coming together for four weeks and seeing how that environment is; it’s about giving players opportunities, but it is about winning.
“It’s about winning a Test series and we have made it more difficult for ourselves now not winning the first Test. But all of our efforts are getting put into winning this weekend.”
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Scotland flanker Hamish Watson speaks to Sky Sports ahead of winning his 50th Test cap against Argentina
Darge fought back from a knee injury which looked to have prematurely ended his breakthrough season when he came off the bench against the Pumas last weekend. The 22-year-old Glasgow forward will make his fourth start for Scotland.
“He was one of our best players in the Six Nations and I’m really delighted he is now able to start for us,” Townsend added.
“Hamish obviously wasn’t able to start last week so that was our starting back-row in the last two games in the Six Nations and we want to see them build on those performances.”
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Highlights of the first Test as Argentina were too strong for Scotland in San Salvador de Jujuy
Scotland: 15 Rory Hutchinson, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Ben White; 1 Pierre Schoeman, 2 Dave Cherry, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Sam Skinner, 5 Grant Gilchrist (c), 6 Rory Darge, 7 Hamish Watson, 8 Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 Scott Cummings, 20 Andy Christie, 21 Ali Price, 22 Ross Thompson, 23 Kyle Rowe.
Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou; 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Julian Montoya (c), 3 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Matias Alemanno, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Rodrigo Bruni.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Lucas Paulos, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Matias Moroni.
Bumper July of rugby on Sky Sports
Saturday, July 9
New Zealand vs Ireland – live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30am (kick-off at 8:05am)
Australia vs England – live on Sky Sports Action from 10:15am (kick-off at 10:55am)
South Africa vs Wales – live on Sky Sports Action from 3:30pm (kick-off at 4:05pm)
Argentina vs Scotland – live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm (kick-off at 8:10pm)
Tuesday, July 12
Maori All Blacks vs Ireland – live on Sky Sports Action from 8am (kick off is at 8.05am)
Saturday, July 16
New Zealand vs Ireland – live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30am (kick-off at 8:05am)
Australia vs England – live on Sky Sports Action from 10:15am (kick-off at 10:55am)
South Africa vs Wales – live on Sky Sports Action from 3:30pm (kick-off at 4:05pm)
Argentina vs Scotland – live on Sky Sports Action from 7:30pm (kick-off at 8:10pm)
