England prop Andrew Sheridan has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against South Africa with a neck injury and Tim Payne has been drafted straight into the starting team, the Rugby Football Union said on Thursday.
The IOL reports that Sheridan suffered the injury against Australia last weekend and will be rested as a precaution. He is expected to be fit for England’s final autumn test against New Zealand on Nov 29.
Payne will start at loosehead, leaving Matt Stevens, who can cover both sides of the scrum, on the bench.
Starting XV: 15. D Armitage (London Irish); 14. P Sackey (Wasps), 14. J Noon (Newcastle), 12. R Flutey (Wasps), 11. U Monye (Harlequins); 10. D Cipriani (Wasps), 9. D Care (Harlequins); 8. N Easter (Harlequins), 7. T Rees (Wasps), 6. J Haskell (Wasps), 5. T Palmer (Wasps), 4. S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), 3. P Vickery (Wasps), 2. L Mears (Bath), 1. T Payne (Wasps).
Replacements: 16. D Hartley (Northampton), 17. M Stevens (Bath), 18. S Shaw (Wasps), 19. T Croft (Leicester), 20. J Crane (Leicester), 21. H Ellis (Leicester), 22. T Flood (Leicester).
Good news for Jannie- I guess…
KSA- seeing that you’re busy putting up threads…maybe you could start one for Friday funnies- which will also be used to post updates of the big joke going down in Bloemfontein…also known as the Test
match between The Proteas and Bangladesh.
@blckshrk – BOKKE (Comment 1) :
I am actually looking for something to use as a Guiness Premiership Preview. (next games are tonight) we can use that if i can find one.
MAKE YOUR SB picks people?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 2) : Thanks- almost forgot…
This is good news