England must be ruthless against Maoris, warns Bradley

IRELAND A coach Michael Bradley has warned England A they must be ruthless if they are to have any hope of toppling the New Zealand Maori in Saturday’s Churchill Cup final.

Bradley watched his side leak seven tries to the tournament favourites who had the match wrapped up just after half-time to set up the showdown at Twickenham.

Ireland produced four tries, with Darren Cave claiming a brace and Keith Earls and David Gannon also touching down, but they could not keep up with the rampant Maori.

Bradley said: “Anyone who wants to beat them can’t afford to let the game get loose and they make very few mistakes.

“England need to look at taking every opportunity that is on offer. We made a good start but when you face a side like the Maori you have to be careful about giving them space. It is a lesson learned and gives my players something to aspire to in terms of fitness and ball-handling skills.”

Ireland now face Scotland A in Saturday’s plate final at Twickenham.

“This will be a different kind of game for us as the players are used to playing each other in the Magners League, so we will both be very familiar to each other,” said Bradley.

Australia coach John Connolly is boosted by the return of fly-half Stephen Larkham for Saturday’s Test against Wales in Brisbane, while Western Force winger Digby Ioane will win his first Wallabies cap.

Larkham returns after recovering from a minor hamstring injury that forced his late withdrawal from last week’s 29-23 win over Wales in Sydney.

South Africa have made three changes to their side to face England in the second test at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Winger Akona Ndungane replaces Ashwin Willemse on the right wing, while there is a double change at prop, where CJ Van der Linde replaces BJ Botha at tighthead while Gurthro Steenkamp comes in for Deon Caarstens at loosehead.

Caarstens moves on to the bench along with Willemse as the two changes to the substitutes as coach Jake White returns to a more traditional four-three bench.

France coach Bernard Laporte has named 10 new caps in a 22-man squad to face New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday. Scrum-half Nicolas Durand, winger Benjamin Thiery, centre Arnaud Mignardi, flanker Gregory Le Corvec and lock Julien Pierre are all set to start.

Veteran hooker Raphael Ibanez and utility back Ludovic Valbon are the only capped players on the bench.

Full-back Thomas Castaignede, number eight Sebastien Chabal, flanker Olivier Magne and prop Christian Califano add experience to the depleted France side.

France squad: Castaignede; Laharrague, Mignardi, Grandclaude, Thiery; Boyet, Durand; Califano, Bruno, Mas, Pape (captain), Pierre, Le Corvec, Chabal, Magne.

Springboks squad: Montgomery; Ndungane, Olivier, De Villiers, Habana; James, Januarie; Steenkamp, Smit (captain),van der Linde, Botha, Matfield, Burger, Smith, Rossouw.

Australia squad: Huxley; Ioane, Mortlock, Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell; Larkham, Giteau; Robinson, Moore, Shepherdson, Sharpe, Vickerman, Smith, Palu, Elsom.

Wales (v Australia): Gareth Thomas (Toulouse, capt); Czekaj, Robinson (both Cardiff Blues), Parker (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), Brew (Ospreys); Hook, Phillips (both Ospreys); I Thomas (Llanelli Scarlets), Davies (Leicester), A Jones (Ospreys), Owen (Newport-Gwent Dragons), Sidoli (Cardiff), Charvis (Newport-Gwent), J Thomas (Ospreys) Gavin Thomas (Llanelli).