England and Australia both made one change on Wednesday to their starting line-ups for the World Cup final in Sydney on Saturday.
England coach Clive Woodward brought back Mike Tindall for Bath teammate Mike Catt in the only change to the team that started the 24-7 semifinal victory over France.
That came as something of a surprise after Catt earned rave reviews for his performances in the second half against Wales and against the French.
However, Tindall is a more renowned tackler than Catt and better suited to stopping in-form Wallabies centre Stirling Mortlock, who scored tries in the quarterfinals and semifinals.
”It’s happy days, happy days,” said Tindall.
Catt’s demotion leaves kicker Jonny Wilkinson more exposed and robs England of a stand-in flyhalf, which cost them dearly in the first half against Wales as England’s points machine was often absent helping out in the rucks and mauls.
Woodward said that Catt fully understood his decision.
”We talked it through and we shook hands. Simply, Tindall was outstanding last weekend when he came on [against France]. If you can’t take the downside there is no point in getting on the aeroplane.
”I have to select the side I believe is best-suited to winning the World Cup final.”
The England coach denied that Catt’s original selection against France had been to take the pressure off Wilkinson.
”Wilkinson was not the problem in our early games. It was the other players,” he said.
”They were playing too narrow and running too straight. Catt came in and changed that but I still feel he is best suited to come on later in the match.”
Elsewhere world record cap holder Jason Leonard retains his place on the bench but the prop and sole survivor of the 1991 final defeat by the Wallabies should see some action for what would be his 113th cap.
In the Australian line-up announced from their Coffs Harbour base, the only change from the side that defeated New Zealand in the semifinals saw Al Baxter take over from injured prop Ben Darwin.
Matt Dunning, whose only involvement so far has been the game against Namibia, comes on to the bench as the reserve prop.
Darwin, the first choice prop, sustained a serious neck injury in the semifinal win over New Zealand, which may have ended his career.
”It is certainly tragic to lose Ben Darwin in this manner but we have the utmost confidence in Alastair and Matty Dunning to do the job on Saturday night,” said coach Eddie Jones.
The only other change from the New Zealand game sees young utility back Matt Giteau return from injury in the quarterfinal against Scotland to regain a place on the bench in place of Nathan Grey.
”The medical staff have done a great job with Matt Giteau and as long as he gets through training this week, he’ll be right to play,” Jones said. — Sapa-AFP
Teams
Australia (15-1)
Mat Rogers (NSW Waratahs), Wendell Sailor (Queensland Reds), Stirling Mortlock (ACT Brumbies), Elton Flatley (Queensland Reds), Lote Tuqiri (NSW Waratahs), Stephen Larkham (ACT Brumbies), George Gregan (ACT Brumbies/capt), David Lyons (NSW Waratahs), Phil Waugh (NSW Waratahs), George Smith (ACT Brumbies), Nathan Sharpe (Queensland Reds), Justin Harrison (NSW Waratahs), Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs), Brendan Cannon (NSW Waratahs) and Bill Young (ACT Brumbies)
Replacements: Jeremy Paul (ACT Brumbies), Matt Dunning (NSW Waratahs), David Giffin (ACT Brumbies), Matt Cockbain (Queensland Reds), Chris Whitaker (NSW Waratahs), Matt Giteau (ACT Brumbies) and Joe Roff (ACT Brumbies).
England (15-1)
Josh Lewsey (Wasps), Jason Robinson (Sale), Will Greenwood (Harlequins), Mike Tindall (Bath), Ben Cohen (Northampton); Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle), Matt Dawson (Northampton), Lawrence Dallaglio (Wasps), Neil Back (Leicester), Richard Hill (Saracens), Ben Kay (Leicester), Martin Johnson (Leicester, capt), Phil Vickery (Gloucester), Steve Thompson (Northampton) and Trevor Woodman (Gloucester).
Replacements: Dorian West (Leicester), Jason Leonard (Harleqiuins), Martin Corry (Leicester), Lewis Moody (Leicester), Kyran Bracken (Saracens), Mike Catt (Bath) and Iain Balshaw (Bath).