England, Stuart Lancaster desperate for Jonathan Joseph

Omnisports Pulse

September 28, 2015 2:21 AM

Ben Youngs is expected to be fit for England's Rugby World Cup clash against Australia but coach Stuart Lancaster is less hopeful for Jonathan Joseph.

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Scrum-half Ben Youngs is expected to be fit for England's crucial Rugby World Cup clash against Australia but coach Stuart Lancaster is less hopeful for Jonathan Joseph.

Youngs (ankle), Billy Vunipola and Courtney Lawes (both knees) were the main casualties of England's 28-25 loss to Wales on Saturday, which has left Lancaster's men with plenty of work to do if they are to progress from Pool A.

Joseph (chest) was forced out of England's line-up for the match at Twickenham, but with Lancaster labelling their next fixtures as "like a World Cup final", the Bath centre will be given every chance to prove his fitness for Saturday's game against the Wallabies.

"We're optimistic on Ben [Youngs] but I think with JJ [Joseph] we are going to have to wait and see how he trains or if he can train on Tuesday, which may affect when we will announce the team," Lancaster said on Sunday.

"We want to give it the best chance possible because if he was fit, he'll be a guy we want in the team."

Lancaster rates Vunipola and Lawes as "50-50" to play against Pool A leaders Australia.

With the top two teams from each pool qualifying for the quarter-finals, England know they cannot afford to lose to the Wallabies too if they are to overhaul either Australia or Wales in the Pool A standings.

"It does feel like a World Cup final," Lancaster said.

"Everything rests on this. It's knockout rugby and we're playing against a high-quality team. We have beaten them twice in the last two years but we will have to be at our best. I was impressed by what they [Australia] did in the Rugby Championship and how much they've improved."

England's 45-year-old coach conceded he "didn't sleep much" after his team's loss to Wales but remains confident the tournament hosts can advance to the World Cup's last eight.

"I 100 per cent believe we can do that. We've done it before," he said.

"We've beaten top quality teams across the board. We lost by three points [to Wales] in small margins. Small margins at the break down, small margins on referees decisions and calls, but there's nothing to say we can't beat Australia and go on to the quarter-finals and win the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and get to a final."

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