SYDNEY, Nov 19: Defending champions Australia and challengers England made just one change each to their starting lineups on Wednesday when they announced their teams for Saturday’s World Cup final.
Australia called up Al Baxter to replace the injured Ben Darwin at tighthead prop while European champions England recalled Mike Tindall in the centres at the expense of Mike Catt.
“We’ve got a young pack and they’ve got no fear, they’ve got nothing to be frightened about,” said Wallaby coach Eddie Jones. “All they’ve got to do is go out there and play well and they’ll do that, they’ll play with a lot of aggression. If we’re good enough we’ll get on top of them, if we’re not good enough we won’t.”
Utility back Matt Giteau returns to the bench after injury.
Catt took over from Tindall for last Sunday’s 24-7 semi-final win over France, partly to act as second receiver and ease the pressure on flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson.
With the more physical threat of the Wallabies in mind, coach Clive Woodward has returned to Tindall, a stronger and quicker player than Catt.
Australia arrive in Sydney from their Coffs Harbour training base on Thursday while England have been based at Manly.
The streets of Sydney have been packed with English fans over the past few days arriving to witness what they hope will be their country’s biggest team success since the 1966 soccer World Cup.
International Rugby Board chairman Syd Millar, elected unopposed to the position on Wednesday, said an estimated 40,000 English supporters would be at Saturday’s night match in the Olympic Stadium.
“It’s a marketing man’s dream,” he told a news conference. “The Poms versus the Aussies.”
Around 3,000 English supporters gathered at Coogee’s Beach Palace Hotel on Tuesday night to practise the words to their anthem “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”.
The New South Wales government also caught rugby fever when it announced the Opera House would be bathed in Wallaby gold instead of its usual England white.—Reuters





























