Australia vs England rugby team news: Teimana Harrison in for James Haskell as Eddie Jones makes one change

Sole change:
(David Rogers/Getty Images)

Teimana Harrison will make his first appearance of the tour on Saturday as England bid for a clean sweep against Australia.

There had been suggestions Eddie Jones might make wholesale changes with the three-Test series already won but Harrison is the only switch.

The 23-year-old Northampton flanker made his debut against Wales in May and comes in for James Haskell, who injured his foot in the Second Test.

Wing Jack Nowell had been a slight doubt for Saturday’s game in Sydney — with Marland Yarde on stand-by to come into the match-day squad — but the Exeter back came through the concussion return-to-play protocols.

Jones has already likened the Third Test to a “like a World Cup Final” as England bid to follow up their 39-28 and 23-7 victories from this tour.

“We’ve treated this week like a dress rehearsal for the World Cup because that’s what we’re always building towards,” said Jones.

“To win a World Cup you have to win three big games in a row — we’ve won two so this third game is the most important we’ll play all year. It will be a good indication of where we are as a team. We’re confident we can finish the job off with a win.”

New Zealand-born Harrison qualifies for the tourists as a result of his English father and has played for Northampton since 2012 having been recommended to the club by national captain Dylan Hartley.

ENGLAND

Team: 
15: M Brown (Harlequins)
14: A Watson (Bath)
13: J Joseph (Bath)
12: O Farrell (Saracens)
11: J Nowell (Exeter)
10: G Ford (Bath)
09: B Youngs (Leicester)
01: M Vunipola (Saracens)
02: D Hartley (Northampton, capt)
03: D Cole (Leicester)
04: M Itoje (Saracens)
05: G Kruis (Saracens)
06: C Robshaw (Harlequins)
07: T Harrison (Northampton)
08: B Vunipola (Saracens)

Replacements: J George (Saracens), M Mullan (Wasps), P Hill (Northampton), J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton), J Clifford (Harlequins), D Care (Harlequins), E Daly (Wasps)

Of Harrison’s selection, Jones said: “You have to work extremely hard to earn an England cap so there was no temptation to make changes for the sake of change. To play for England, you have to be in the best 23 and that’s what this selection represents. Teimana has trained well throughout the tour and deserves to start. He’s an excellent defender and his robustness will be important to us at the start.”

Matt Toomua returns to the Australia side for the first time this year at inside centre after recovering from a knee injury. He comes in for Samu Kerevi, who drops out of the match squad altogether despite starting the last two games.

Lock Rob Simmons, who was dropped for the Second Test, is back in the side and is joined in the second row by Will Skelton, who plays for the Wallabies for the first time since he was injured at the World Cup.

Neither of the starting locks from the previous Test, Sam Carter and Rory Arnold, even make the bench with Adam Coleman having instead been named among the replacements.

Michael Cheika said his Australia side would prove the critics wrong after being castigated following England’s first series win over the Wallabies.

“Saturday’s match is a real opportunity for the team to show the character I know they have on the field, for all our fans to see,” said Cheika.

“We will continue to play rugby in our attacking style and we’ll be aiming to do it with more consistent quality than we have in the first two matches.”

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