Eddie Jones promised England would “upset the apple cart” after naming the Red Rose squad for next month’s tour of his native Australia yesterday.
Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi were selected by England coach Jones for the three-Test series despite both backs suffering injuries on club duty this weekend.
Leicester centre Tuilagi suffered a hamstring strain during the Tigers’ 44-17 Premiership semi-final defeat by Saracens on Saturday.
There were reports the midfield powerhouse could be out for six weeks although no official word on the extent of his injury has yet emerged.
The same match saw Saracens star Farrell, England’s Six Nations Grand Slam-winning goal-kicker, go off with a rib injury.
But he is expected to be fit to travel in a 32-man England squad that includes four uncapped players -- Worcester centre Ben Te’o, Northampton back-row Teimana Harrison, Bristol prop Ellis Genge (currently on loan at Leicester) and Harlequins prop Kyle Sinckler -- for next month’s three-Test series away to the Wallabies.
But there was no place for in-form Saracens wing Chris Ashton, who initially missed England’s run to the grand slam through suspension, in a squad again captained by New Zealand-born hooker Dylan Hartley.
“We are still a young squad with an average age of 24 so this will be a big learning experience,” said Jones, Australia’s coach when they lost the 2003 World Cup to England in Sydney.
 
‘No baggage’
Jones became England’s first overseas coach after the Wallabies dumped tournament hosts England out of last year’s World Cup -- a defeat that saw the Rugby Football Union sack Stuart Lancaster and bring the former Australia and Japan boss on board.
However, Jones said: “This will be the first time many of the players will have toured Australia so there’s no historical baggage there and mentally we’ll be in a good place off the back of the Six Nations.”
England have yet to lose under Jones, their first overseas coach, after he guided his new side to a first Grand Slam in 13 years earlier this season.
Australia, after dumping out England, went all the way to last year’s World Cup final before losing to New Zealand.
“To beat the Wallabies in Australia you have to play a physical, aggressive brand of rugby and that’s what we intend to do,” said Jones. “We have to be in their faces from the first minute of the first Test.”
He added: “But we are in no doubt of the challenge we face.
“England have only ever won three Tests in Australia and never won in Brisbane (the venue for the first Test on June 11), so it’s a great opportunity for us to create new history.
“The Grand Slam was just the start of our journey. We’re ranked fourth in the world and are still developing our identity.”
“This tour will provide a good chance for us to measure up to the southern hemisphere and try to close that gap.
“Australia are the second-ranked team in the world and their coach (Michael Cheika) is the World Rugby coach of the year, so their supporters will expect a positive result from them. We will upset the apple cart.”
The series has been given added spice by the fact that Jones and Cheika were once team-mates at leading Sydney club Randwick.
Yesterday also saw Jones name a separate 26-man squad to play Wales at Twickenham on Sunday, May 29.
That squad does not include players from Saracens and Exeter, who will be contesting the Premiership final at Twickenham the day beforehand (Saturday, May 28).