Gilly will make his Eng debut at centre, Sam will play with George in the halves.

Congrats Ollie.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... ake-connor Would have been nice to see Tom Johnstone but you can't really complain about the wingers chosen.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... ake-connor Would have been nice to see Tom Johnstone but you can't really complain about the wingers chosen.

Happy with the team selected. I think Sam is in a role that will suit him down to the ground in internationals and we’ve gone really attacking with both Williams and Connor starting. I look forward to seeing how Gildart gets on. He was brilliant in the semi and final and really forced this opportunity so I hope he takes it.

no percival? Id swap sam and Lomax and Have Johnstone in for either wingers.

Definitely have Johnstone over Makinson but McGilvary has shown himself to be a top level performer for us

There’s something about Percival which Bennett isn’t convinced about, I assume defensively.

I get Makinson over Johnston, the latter more likely to offer a moment of magic however Makinson has a better all round game imo and is a safer bet.

What I don’t get is why Bennett’s picked Sam who has played full back all year in the halves and Lomax who’s played in the halves all year at full back.

I find it strange that Oli was picked as a late call up but has been given the nod over Percival and Lyne, add to that Percival has been much better than him this season. I also find the Sam/Lomax position switch strange.
That being said I hope Oli performs well and it helps propel his career onto the next level.

Percival has defensive question marks against him. (Jack Hughes made him look daft in the semi).
Gildarts defensive work goes largely unnoticed but I don't remember too many getting the better of him and I include kallum Watkins in that.

Makinson does shoot out the line occasionally but I agree he may just see him as a safer bet.

I wouldn't be surprised to see lomax and tomkins switch at points during the game.

Sam could easily play the full game at full back. Its a very Australian thing to do. Dont be shocked if one of the named subs starts the game.

Gildart will have his hands full dealing with the Kiwis tomorrow,I'm not sure that he's physical enough to deal with international rugby either in attack or defense

Good luck to him though

He kept Shenton in his back pocket for the whole semi final and Bryson Goodwin was put in the other pocket in the final.

Ollie has been picked on form and deservedly so.

Whether he is or isn't is irrelevant
It's if there's anyone better then him.

Any suggestions?

As Tricky says he's defensively kept 2 of the better centre's quiet in the last 2 games and done as well as any other against Watkins over the last 2/3 years.
Also got the better of a state of origin player in the WCC in Jack Bird.

He'll be up against Manu, won't he? One of the best centres in the world. Good luck to him, he deserves his place. It will be a baptism of fire, though.