Australia Will Target Freeman At Centre In England Clash, George Gregan Warns

The erstwhile Australia skipper George Gregan says they will target Tommy Freeman’s defending astatine outside-centre for England connected Saturday.

Steve Borthwick’s broadside footwear disconnected their autumn run astatine Twickenham against opponents who consigned them to a dramatic precocious defeat past year, and nan caput coach has made immoderate notable selectorial calls. George Ford starts astatine No 10 alternatively of Fin Smith, Ford’s Sale Sharks workfellow Tom Roebuck is connected nan helping and, astir interestingly, Freeman will play astatine No 13.

The in-form Northampton backmost will statement up successful midfield for England, switching from a much acquainted domiciled retired wide. He scored four tries successful nan Saints’ win against Saracens past Friday wearing nan No 14 jersey, and outside-centre requires a different group of skills, peculiarly without nan ball.

“They’ll decidedly target him. That’s thing new. They’re going to inquire him immoderate questions,” Gregan said. “I’d beryllium very amazed if they didn’t, I’d beryllium very amazed if [Wallabies caput coach] Joe Schmidt hadn’t created thing astir there.

“Australia person a very smart measurement of attacking which tin ‘show up’ 1 way, and they’ve sewage a fewer options disconnected it. That’s what bully onslaught does. Twelve and 13 is an area you ever want to effort and target. And if you tin create uncertainty there, that benignant of flows connected everywhere, wrong and out.”

Gregan captained Australia astatine nan 2003 World Cup, played each 3 Tests successful nan bid triumph against nan British & Irish Lions successful 2001, and won 139 world caps. The erstwhile scrum-half emphasised really difficult nan outside-centre domiciled tin beryllium from a protect perspective.

“The No 13 transmission is difficult to defend,” Gregan, who will beryllium moving for TNT Sports during nan Quilter Nations Series starting this Saturday, said. “I deliberation it’s astir apt nan hardest spot to take sides connected nan field. You’ve sewage to activity pinch your man connected nan inside, peculiarly successful nan modern crippled … you’ve sewage to get it right, you’ve sewage to beryllium committed, you’ve sewage to make bully decisions.”

Gregan besides said he is simply a “big fan” of Marcus Smith, who has been near retired of England’s matchday 23, and predicted he will person a important domiciled to play arsenic Borthwick rotates No 10 options of Ford, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith successful nan run-up to nan Rugby World Cup successful Australia successful 2027. Marcus Smith shifted to full-back to accommodate Fin Smith starting astatine No 10 past year, but Freddie Steward takes nan No 15 jersey this weekend.

George Gregan captained Australia astatine nan 2003 World Cup. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

“That mightiness change,” Gregan said of nan Harlequins player’s absence from nan squad. “Marcus Smith hasn’t been axed. I’m a large fan. He’s a awesome player. England person sewage a plethora of options location [at fly-half].

“Anyone who’s sewage a moving threat and a passing threat, and an expertise to backmost themselves which Marcus does – he’s ever had that successful spades. England person sewage a batch of artillery pinch those gentlemen [Marcus Smith, Fin Smith and Ford]. How they want to put that into nan game, and play that week, that’s wholly up to them.

“I’m judge they’re competing difficult astatine training and anyone who misses retired wants to get into nan 23. Competition’s important and that brings nan champion retired of nan players.”

Gregan said that Noah Caluori’s aerial expertise reminds him of an AFL subordinate – “He mightiness time off this state and spell to [AFL club] Collingwood,” he joked, and besides praised nan expertise of Freeman’s Northampton teammate Henry Pollock, who will beryllium connected nan chair astatine Twickenham.

“His debut against Wales successful nan past Six Nations was very impressive, disconnected nan backmost of a batch of affirmative chat from group who I really respect,” Gregan said. “Then you watch him, and he’s everywhere, and he’s conscionable going to get better. It was a really inspired prime by Faz [Andy Farrell] to person him portion of that Lions team.”