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England need fighting spirit in second Test, says Shontayne Hape

• Hape inspired by ferocious State of Origin game • ‘We can all play better than we did last week,’ he says England’s former rugby league star Shontayne Hape has been fired up to face Australia ever since watching Queensland’s ferocious State Of Origin victory over New South Wales on Wednesday. The Maroons clinched their fifth straight series win after a feisty clash in Brisbane that featured an all-in brawl, an alleged headbutt and numerous punch-ups as passions spilled over. Hape, the former New Zealand league international who will win his second England Test cap tomorrow, has been inspired by the Origin showdown to improve on a disappointing debut. England were too slow out of the blocks in Perth last week as Australia raced into an early 14-0 lead on their way to a 27-17 victory. “I was a bit nervous playing my first Test but with that out of the way I am just looking to put things right, to aim up this week and try to get a win,” said Hape. “I watched the Origin game in the week and that is what we want to bring on Saturday, some fire in our bellies.” The Wallabies were convinced that Martin Johnson would replace Hape with Jonny Wilkinson at inside centre with the aim of improving England’s kicking game and distribution. Hape’s all-round contribution was disappointing but it did not help that England’s game lacked any dynamism as they failed to capitalise on a dominant scrum performance. “Every one of us looked at our individual performance and we can all play better than we did last week,” said Hape. “We just hope we can build on last week’s game. “The forwards did some great work but they did get carried away and we have to talk to them a bit more. Hopefully we can get the backs a bit more ball and try to score some tries. We need to finish off our chances.” England’s captain, Lewis Moody, detected an “air of nervousness” in the changing room before last weekend’s defeat and he believes that contributed to England making such a slow start in Perth. But the inclusion of the Leicester scrum-half Ben Youngs and Northampton’s lock Courtney Lawes, who will both make their first Test starts, has helped inject fresh enthusiasm into the side. And Moody is confident England will come out all guns blazing tomorrow. “After the warm-up tomorrow I will sit down with the lads and make sure everyone is in the right place prior to the game,” he said. “We have been through the situation now when we did have that angst and nervousness which made the first 40 minutes tough. “Ben Youngs and Courtney have come in. They are very talented and excitable young guys and that enthusiasm can spread, which is great. I am excitable at the best of times so when they are excited it is even better.” England rugby union team Australia rugby union team Rugby union guardian.co.uk

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England need fighting spirit in second Test, says Shontayne Hape

Jerry Jones To Big 12: You’re Not Done Yet

Jerry Jones didn’t build the state-of-the-art new Cowboys’ Stadium so that he could lose major sporting events.

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Jerry Jones To Big 12: You’re Not Done Yet

Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes to make first England starts

• Johnson drops Care and Shaw for second Test • England coach resists temptation to recall Wilkinson Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes will make their first starts for England after Martin Johnson made two changes for Saturday’s second Test against Australia. The Leicester scrum-half Youngs has replaced Danny Care after making a lively impression off the bench in England’s 27-17 defeat to the Wallabies. Lawes, the Northampton lock, takes over in the second row from the veteran Simon Shaw. Both Youngs and Lawes will bring a level of dynamism to the England side after they paid the price for a lack of pace and penetration in the first Test. “This is a great opportunity for Ben, who has been with us since the middle of the Six Nations – the same for Courtney,” said Johnson. “Ben brings something different to Danny but it is not a reflection on Danny’s performance. It is just an opportunity to get Ben on the field. “It is a tough call on Danny, who has not done anything particularly wrong. Simon Shaw certainly hasn’t done anything wrong but Courtney Lawes has really stepped up in the last few weeks since we have been together. He is very athletic and gets around the field and is very aggressive.” Much to the surprise of the Australians, Johnson has resisted the temptation to bring Jonny Wilkinson back into the team and stuck by the fly-half Toby Flood and the inside centre Shontayne Hape. “There is always a rationale for playing Jonny but we are happy with what we have got with Toby,” said Johnson. “We can’t give them that many shots. They are a good team and they will get something on us but we made it too easy for them last week.” Mike Tindall has recovered from a dead leg to be named at outside centre but there is no place in the 22-man squad for Mathew Tait, whose seat on the bench has been taken by Delon Armitage. England dominated the scrum last week to win two penalty tries – but the defence was porous, the kicking game poor and they could not match Australia’s slick attacking runners. England have called Saracens centre Brad Barritt into the squad as cover for Dominic Waldouck, who is struggling with an ankle injury, and suspended winger Matt Banahan. The Wallabies have been boosted by the return of scrum-half Will Genia and inside centre Matt Giteau. The head coach, Robbie Deans, has decided to restore Genia at scrum-half, despite Luke Burgess’ excellent performance in Australia’s first-Test victory. Genia has overcome a knee ligament strain while Giteau is back at inside centre in place of Berrick Barnes after recovering from a hip problem which forced him to miss last weekend’s game. England team B Foden (Northampton); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), M Tindall (Gloucester), S Hape (Bath), C Ashton (Northampton); T Flood (Leicester), B Youngs (Leicester); T Payne (Wasps), S Thompson (Brive), D Cole (Leicester), C Lawes (Northampton), T Palmer (Stade Francais), T Croft (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester, capt), N Easter (Harlequins). Replacements: G Chuter (Leicester), D Wilson (Bath), S Shaw (Wasps), J Haskell (Stade Francais), D Care (Harlequins), J Wilkinson (Toulon), D Armitage (London Irish). Australia team J O’Connor (Western Force); D Mitchell (NSW Waratahs), R Horne (NSW Waratahs), M Giteau (ACT Brumbies), D Ioane (Queensland Reds); Q Cooper (Queensland Reds), W Genia (Queensland Reds); B Daley (Queensland Reds), S Faingaa (Queensland Reds), S Ma’afu (ACT Brumbies), D Mumm (NSW Waratahs), N Sharpe (Western Force), R Elsom (ACT Brumbies, captain), D Pocock (Western Force), R Brown (Western Force). Replacements: H Edmonds (ACT Brumbies), J Slipper (Queensland Reds), M Chisholm (ACT Brumbies), M Hodgson (Western Force), L Burgess (NSW Waratahs), B Barnes (NSW Waratahs), A Ashley-Cooper (ACT Brumbies). England rugby union team Rugby union guardian.co.uk

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Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes to make first England starts