Robshaw back, Burgess left out for Paris clash

Burgess training

LONDON – Chris Robshaw will return to captain the England side while Sam Burgess has been left out of the team to play France in their return World Cup warm-up match in Paris on Saturday.

In what might be telling insight as to the make-up of Stuart Lancaster’s final Rugby World Cup squad when it’s announced later this month, Sam Burgess misses the 23-man squad altogether after a solid display in England’s first World Cup warm-up match at Twickenham last Saturday.

The news could be good or bad for Burgess and the 26 year old’s fans as his exclusion might mean that Lancaster has either seen enough of him or wanted to pick his best 23 or similar to the side that he will play when the World Cup kicks off in London next month. Replacing Burgess is the impressive Luther Burrell as he teams back up with his midfield partner Jonathan Joseph.

A whopping 14 changes has been made by Lancaster to the team that edged France 19-14 in the first World Cup warm-up.

Of the notables, Wasps’ lock Joe Launchbury will play his first test in 12 months after his long layoff through injury and Jamie George gets given an opportunity to make an impact coming off the bench in the second half.

England team to play France in Paris

15 Mike Brown (Harlequins, 37 caps)
14 Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs, 8 caps)
13 Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
12 Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints, 12 caps)
11 Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 14 caps)
10 George Ford (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 47 caps)

8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 18 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (capt, Harlequins, 37 caps)
6 James Haskell (Wasps, 59 caps)
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 38 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 22 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 50 caps)
2 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 31 caps)

Replacements
16 Jamie George (Saracens, uncapped), 17 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 21 caps), 18 David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 42 caps), 19 Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby, 21 caps), 20 Nick Easter (Harlequins, 51 caps), 21 Danny Care (Harlequins, 51 caps), 22 Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 13 caps), 23 Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 21 caps)


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