Thompson Starts for England

[Greenie]

England team to face Australia at Twickenham on November 7th:

15 Ugo Monye (Harlequins)
14 Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks)
13 Dan Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers)
12 Shane Geraghty (Northampton Saints)
11 Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby)
10 Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon)
9 Danny Care (Harlequins)

1 Tim Payne (London Wasps)
2 Steve Thompson (CA Brive)
3 Dave Wilson (Bath Rugby)
4 Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers)
5 Steve Borthwick (Saracens, Captain)
6 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
7 Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers)
8 Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers)

REPLACEMENTS
16 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
17 Duncan Bell (Bath Rugby)

• 18 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)

19 James Haskell (Stade Francais)
20 Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
21 Andy Goode (CA Brive)

• 22 Ayoola Erinle (Biarritz Olympique)

In the professional era good to see someone hand back a load of cash so they can keep playing. Wish him the best (and hope he has learned how to throw the ball into a lineout since his last cap).

Hipkiss and Geraghty wouldn't have been picked without the injurys but it will be interesting to see how that works.

And of course good to see the (old)boy wonder back.

[JRM]

Yep should be interesting, although feels like we're starting from scratch with the team given all teh injury. Hope they do themselves proud though.

Overall blooding the young guys can only help when we get closer to the world cup

[DJC]

Gerraghty and Hipkiss should be the first choice centre partnership for England anyway at the moment!