England World Cup captain Chris Robshaw set to be DROPPED for Australia Test in favour of Saracens man-mountain Maro Itoje
Red Rose No6 set to be replaced by the European Player of the Year, 21, with Joe Launchbury and George Kruis getting the nod in the engine room in Eddie Jones' starting XV Down Under
MARO ITOJE is set to replace Chris Robshaw in England's back-row as Eddie Jones takes his 'Bodyline' promise to the max against Australia.
Man mountain Itoje is being primed to be unleashed against the Wallabies world-class jacklers David Pocock and Michael Hooper in the battle of Brisbane on Saturday.
The 21-year-old European player-of-the-year's shift into Robshaw's number 6 shirt would see the World Cup captain drop to the bench - with Joe Launchbury coming into the engine room alongside second-row George Kruis.
Itoje got the nod ahead of Robshaw in training yesterday as England moved north of the Gold Coast into their Sanctuary Cove resort.
Beefing up the pack and putting Itoje into the back-row for his first start at flanker alongside James Haskell gives boss Jones the added pace and power he needs Down Under.
Defence coach Paul Gustard hinted that there needed to be personnel changes to upset the odds and take victory in the first of three Tests.
He said: "We are trying to attack a different way. Pick a different team to what has been done before and that is the kind of philosophy we will take into it. I think if we sit back and allow them to play we will come unstuck pretty fast.
"Bodyline was about saying we can't come here and do what England have done before. That mantra of doing something different is what we are trying to do.
"As a coaching group we will meet tonight and start discussing the make up of the team, what is required and the balance between ball carriers. It's up to us to fill in the blanks."
The only man that didn't train yesterday was new boy Ben Te'o.
Worcester Warriors bound Te'o has only been with the squad for a week - but mystery and confusion over his absence fuelled fire that Jones was further ramping up the mind games.
Gustard could only say that the inside centre's absence was down to "the advice of the medical department" - before an RFU spokesman claimed it was because of muscle soreness and that he will train today.
However, the New Zealand-born 29-year-old might also be suffering from a damaged ego after the England squad ripped into him during an initiation on Sunday evening.
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The ex Samoa rugby league star had previously talked about how he was interested in playing for Ireland and Australia, due to residency rules, and even posted a picture of himself in a green jersey on Instagram in support of his Leinster team-mates last year.
Te'o also qualifies for the All Blacks and can wear the Red Rose shirt thanks to his English mother.
But Gustard believes that despite his previous split loyalties, Te'o will give his all for England.
The former Saracens coach said: "Ben's made the decision to join an English club next season with Worcester.
"He's made the decision to come here on the England tour, he's not with Ireland or back with Australia. I think he has shown his allegiance by footing his foot in the camp.
"The boys may mock him, have a bit of fun with him, as they do. But I think his decision proves where he wants to be. We weren't allowed in the initiation, but I could hear them laughing and having fun."
However Cheika, who also wanted Te'o in a Wallabies shirt at some point in the future, believes he is not quite ready for international rugby just yet.
He added: "He would have been back in Super Rugby, but I'm not saying he would have been in this squad. We wanted him back to play Super Rugby, with a view to having that depth with him becoming available for selection.
"I wouldn't have said he would have been in this squad, no. We would have been keen to have him back in Australia but clubs over there have too much money.
"It's hard and shows a bit of the divide around where the money is in rugby when we as a national team can't compete with Worcester for a player."
England probable starting XV: Brown; Watson, Joseph, Te’o, Nowell; Farrell, Youngs; M Vunipola, Hartley, Cole; Launchbury, Kruis; Itoje, Haskell, B Vunipola.