JACK NOWELL says England will be utterly brutal in their win-at-all-costs quest against Australia.
The swashbuckling winger has been recalled to the starting XV along with George Ford as the Red Rose tourists look to finish off the series in Saturday’s Second Test in Melbourne.
And Exeter Chiefs star Nowell wasted no time in getting stuck into the Wallabies, who are still licking their wounds from last weekend’s ferocious 39-28 First Test defeat in Brisbane.
The 23-year-old said: “This week we’ve spoken a lot about being desperate again — doing anything to get the win, being brutal when we’re out there.
“We want to be physical like we were last week but also tighten up our defence a bit.
“Me being on the bench was tough, but in the end we won and that’s all I wanted. I was not sharp enough coming into camp. Eddie Jones gave me a bit of a kick up the backside to work harder and try and get the shirt back.”
Nowell comes in for Marland Yarde with fly-half Ford replacing Luther Burrell — both of who were axed from the matchday squad completely.
Coach Jones said: “To have a high work-rate wing like Jack Nowell is an advantage.
“It’s all about whether a guy is ready to play. Marland’s played two in a row. Some guys can keep their form for long periods of time, other players come in and out.
“I’m really pleased with the way Marland has gone. It’s just selections for this game — there is no secret how Australia are going to play.”
I'll Cheik it out: Aussie boss to gate-crash ref talks
AUSTRALIA boss Michael Cheika will gate-crash Eddie Jones' meeting with referee Craig Joubert ahead of tomorrow's massive Test match.
Under World Rugby rules England boss Jones has asked to see Joubert ahead of the game at AAMI Park – just as he did ahead of the First Test in Brisbane.
Rival Cheika has also taken up the offer to come along and listen in.
All week the Red Rose scrum has been hammered by Aussies from their World Cup winning coach Bob Dwyer to hooker Phil Kearns – who both claimed Dan Cole’s technique is totally illegal.
England feel this is a deliberate tactic by the Aussies to unsettle their front-row and influence ref Joubert.
And Cheika revealed: “There’s a meeting on today, with the referee, with both teams together.
“I think the English guys wanted to see the ref so, as normal, as the rules are, we were invited along. So we will go along and have a listen. We didn’t ask the referee for the meeting.
“The rules of the union are that, if you ask for a meeting, the other teams gets invited – if they want to take up the opportunity. We figured we would. We didn’t know last week so we will attend this week.
“We don’t know who will go along from our team. I don’t think there is any clearing-up from our end.”
With England already leading 1-0 in the series, back-to-back victories will seal a historic win Down Under.
Cheika is desperate to get back on track and take it all to Sydney for the last Test.
He added: “Of course we want to bounce back. It hurts, losing, it hurts a lot.
“There’s no brushing that away and that pain still sits inside you. That’s why England want to win again because they don’t want the pain of losing either.
“That’s what drives a lot of us; the feelings you get after the game in the dressing-room – the great emotions of victory and the pain and the hardship of losing. But you get over it and get on to the next thing.”
On the bench Jones will use the power and pace of Harlequins back-row Jack Clifford to close out what would be an historic first series win for England in Oz with a Test to spare.
Wasps utility back Elliot Daly and Saracens hooker Jamie George are also among the replacements.
Jones explained: “It was a gut feeling about the way the game’s going to go. It’s going to be physical with a lot of running. That’s why Clifford comes on the bench. He’s really impressed me.
“He was disappointed to miss out in the First Test and responded really well.
“He’s working at his game and showing a bit of grit that’s going to help him become a good Test player.”
Mischievous Jones also revealed that he phoned his old mucker Bob Dwyer yesterday after the World Cup-winning Aussie boss had spent the whole week sticking the boot into his boys.
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Dwyer claimed Dan Cole was scrumming illegally in the First Test. England star Joe Marler, who is not on tour, went on Twitter to call Dwyer a w*****.
But Jones added: “I spoke to Bob this afternoon — he didn’t speak about Joe Marler but you know what Bob is like, so I don’t have to relay the conversation.”
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