England V Samoa: Key Battles to Watch at Twickenham

Different opposition, same mantra for England. This is one of those "must-win" games.

The phrase was trotted out last week before defeat to South Africa, and it is being used again this week, except even if England do win, it won’t mean an awful lot.

They are expected to beat Samoa 10 times out of 10. Changes have been made by Stuart Lancaster, but even if England had won their first two games of this autumn series, it is likely that some fresh faces would have been given a chance in this—the easiest of all four fixtures.

Given the swirl of discontent over the fact that his team has lost five games in a row, the fact that those games have been against the two best sides on the planet—with four against the best—seems to have been forgotten by many.

It has also been forgotten that while winning these games in their own right would have created momentum and confidence, they are not indicators of how England will fare next year.

They have to beat Australia and/or Wales to have a chance of even playing either South Africa or New Zealand in the World Cup.

So, you could argue that the key game this autumn is yet to come. Laying down a "marker" against Australia will be far more beneficial in terms of an edge over the Wallabies come their meeting in pool play next year.

So if anything, this is a run-through for England’s players ahead of the game that will really set the tone for their 2015 hopes and dreams.

Here are the key battles.

Ben Youngs V Kahn Fotuali'i

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Ben Youngs gets a chance to reassert himself as England’s No. 1 scrum–half after Danny Care’s average performances so far this autumn.

Against him is one of the best—if not the best—Nos. 9 in the Premiership, Kahn Fotuali'i.

With England’s pack expected to provide him a wealth of front–foot ball, the onus is on Youngs to set England’s tempo against Samoa.

His opponent has the pace and power to cause England problems if their back row are not alert to the threat the Saints man poses.

Owen Farrell V Johnny Leota

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Another all-Premiership clash sees the re-located Owen Farrell face the hard-running Sale man Johnny Leota.

Farrell’s inclusion at No. 12 has sparked much debate and some forthright views from former England utility man Austin Healey in the Telegraph:

"

Owen Farrell is a fine player and may well be the future for England at No 10. But he is woefully out of form. That is OK, that happens. So let him go back to Saracens and gain some confidence. What you do not do is select him at 12, outside George Ford. You are hanging the poor lad – and I mean Ford – out to dry.

"

It is hard to know what to expect from Farrell in this role.

Brad Barritt is the man to truck the ball up, not Farrell, while new fly–half George Ford is unlikely to want to give Farrell too much responsibility for kicking and distribution when this is the Bath man’s big chance at No. 10.

Leota could sense this fish-out-of-water scenario in the England midfield and look to exploit it with his own brand of physicality. Watch this space.

Joe Marler V Census Johnston

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Joe Marler is retained at loose head for England, when it might have been worth a chance to give understudy Matt Mullen a run out.

Perhaps the presence of the monstrous Census Johnston on the other side of the scrum informed Stuart Lancaster’s thinking.

The Toulouse man is a punishing scrummager, and it will be a stern test for the Harlequins captain to make sure England’s set piece remains as solid and reliable as it has shown to be this season.

Equally, Johnston loves to cause damage with ball in hand as much as he does in the scrum.

Marler has been a little muted in this area of his game compared to his usual strong showing away from the dark arts.

It should be a good tussle.