The winds of change are finally rustling the palm trees beside the nearby Swan River. Not only will Courtney Lawes lead England into Saturday’s first Test against Australia in preference to Owen Farrell but Eddie Jones has also parachuted three experimental new caps into his matchday 23. It is as significant a cabinet reshuffle as English rugby has undergone for a while.
Most strikingly of all it is a development that has, according to his head coach, left Farrell “very unhappy”. Normally in these situations the deposed captain swallows his disappointment and there is diplomatic talk of smooth, orderly transitions. Not this time. If anything, to use the Australian vernacular, it seems that Farrell has spat the dummy and is totally spewing.
