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Owen Farrell will shift to five-eighth after Eddie Jones surprisingly demoted George Ford for England's Rugby World Cup quarter-final against the Wallabies.
Eddie Jones says his axing of playmaker George Ford was a defensive ploy made to counter the expected run-and-gun methods of the Wallabies in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
Captain Owen Farrell's has moved to five-eighth for Saturday's match in Oita, with Manu Tuilagi also shifting in a spot to inside centre in a significant change to England's set-up.
While the versatile Farrell has worn No.10 often, including through this year's Six Nations campaign, Ford's place seemed cemented after starting the three biggest World Cup lead-in Tests as well as all three pool games.
The change allows Jones to introduce the dangerous Henry Slade at centre.
However, the veteran coach said defence, rather than attack, was primarily behind the move, pointing to Australia's ball-in-hand game and how they like to crash the hulking Samu Kerevi and others into the defensive line.
"Kerevi is a damaging ball carrier and whoever they pick at 13 ... they've got two big ball carriers," Jones said.
"We know Australia are a high possession team, they are a high phase team and that's how they want to play so there's going to be a lot of defending in that area.
"But we believe we've got the defensive capabilities to handle them and cause them a few problems."
Jones wouldn't comment on reports Australia are poised to name teenage rookie Jordan Petaia at outside centre and denied his backline changes were related.
England were widely expected to field the same starting XV who beat Argentina in their final pool match two weeks ago but Jones made made three personnel swaps.
Two new faces in the tight five are both attending their third Word Cup.
Courtney Lawes replaces George Kruis at lock while prop Mako Vunipola will make his first start of the tournament in place of Joe Marler.
Vunipola came off the bench against Argentina two weeks ago in a rare appearance since injuring his hamstring in early May. He hasn't started a Test since February.
His brother Billy Vunipola has himself having shaken off an ankle injury suffered against the Pumas to retain his No.8 jersey.
The brothers are among six key starting figures from England's powerhouse Saracens club.
Lock Maro Itoje and hooker Jamie George are key cogs in the pack while Farrell and fullback Elliot Daly provide backline direction through their quality kicking.
Jones may have wanted to try out some new combinations in last Saturday's scheduled final pool game against France but didn't get the chance as the game was cancelled because of the safety fears created by Typhoon Hagibis.
He didn't believe the lost game would disadvantage his team.
"It's a bit like playing poker, You sit at the table and you get some cards and you have to deal with them. We got these cards and we've tried to deal with them as well as we could," he said.
ENGLAND:
Elliot Daly, Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May, Owen Farrell (capt), Ben Youngs, Billy Vunipola, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Mako Vunipola. Res: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Marler, Dan Cole, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, George Ford, Jonathan Joseph.
