England coach Eddie Jones has been tipped to bring George Ford back into his starting side to face the All Blacks in Saturday's Rugby World Cup semifinal.
According to the Telegraph, Jones will start with both Ford and Owen Farrell in the backline with Farrell to move to the number12 jersey. Ford was named on the bench in the quarter-final win over Australia, but the Telegraph is reporting he'll be named in the starting side.
It's something All Blacks coach Steve Hansen suspected earlier in the week.
"We've got to plan for the chance they could bring back George Ford and we have to plan for the fact they may not. This time of the week you've done your hard work. Who plays at 10 doesn't really matter. They have a blueprint, as do we. What's then important is fine-tuning your focus," Hansen said.
It means both sides with have regular first-five eighths on the field at the same time with the All Blacks expected to continue with Richie Mounga at number 10 and two-time World Rugby player of the year Beauden Barrett playing at fullback.
Another change to the England side, the Telegraph reports, is lock George Kruis replacing Courtney Lawes while wing Jonny May is expected to be passed fit.
Both teams are named today with Hansen the first to reveal his side at 3.30pm.
The All Blacks are expected to make a big selection call with Sam Cane set to be named on the bench and Scott Barrett starting on the side of the scrum.
Dropping Cane from the starting lineup would be a shock - Cane hasn't come off the bench for the All Blacks since taking on Argentina in September 2017, a run of 20 tests. When healthy, he has been the All Blacks' mainstay openside flanker since the retirement of Richie McCaw after the 2015 World Cup, rarely putting a foot wrong in the test arena.
However, such a move also wouldn't be without merit, with Barrett providing the All Blacks with an extra dimension which has proven exceptional in recent times.
