Warning: The following post contains mild plot spoilers for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a whole lot of movie, jumping clumsily from plot to plot and character to character with little care or skill in tying them together. 

Yet between these expanses of idiocy, there are some rare nuggets of intrigue, seeds to stories that could grow into something people actually want to see, if only given the chance.

And so: Here are the only six things we cared about in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

1. Hogwarts

If you caught this movie in theaters on opening weekend, chances are you felt an immediate, tangible change of atmosphere when we see that glorious castle silhouette emerge from the mountains. Seeing Hogwarts and hearing “Hedwig’s Theme” provide a deep comfort we didn’t know we needed amid sloppy storytelling and unknown characters. This right here is the feeling that The Crimes of Grindelwald tries and fails desperately to evoke.

We get to see Dumbledore teaching, McGonagall being badass (even though her mere existence conflicts with canon), clusters of students in house colors whose only concern is passing Charms, not tracking down an angry Obscurial for reasons unknown. Why didn’t WB just green light a Hogwarts franchise that follows every character we’ve ever met through school?

2. The Leta Lestrange love triangle

The Harry Potter movies got an added dose of magic in the form of teen romance starting with Goblet of Fire and carrying us through to Ron and Hermione making out in the Chamber of Secrets in Deathly Hallows – Part 2. They injected a supposed children’s fantasy series with the tender humor and pain of burgeoning adulthood, rounding the films out.

Fantastic Beasts had some lovely romantic seeds with Queenie and Jacob as well as the slower burn of Newt and Tina, but Crimes of Grindelwald introduces the straight-out-of-a-telenovela love triangle between Leta Lestrange and both Scamander brothers. Leta’s thrilling final “I love you” to either or both of them gave me life and also took it away immediately when her character died. The whole thing was wild and scandalous and deserves its own five-film franchise! 

3. Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s history

These two are far too old to live out the backstory described in the Harry Potter books, wherein they are drawn together by intellectual attraction (and then some) and simultaneously fall in love and plot immortality/Muggle subservience. 

Crimes of Grindelwald gives us a quick flashback to the boys’ sexually charged blood oath, so why not extend the flashback, like Newt and Leta’s? Why not make it a whole act, or even a whole movie in this never-ending franchise?

4. Newt and Tina

Image: Jaap Buitendijk/warner bros.

One of the rare sufferable moments in this movie is when Newt and Tina infiltrate the French Ministry of Magic and he laboriously explains to her that he’s not engaged, suddenly reopening the door to their potential (inevitable) romance. 

There’s a lot of murmuring and longing stares, and Newt, against Jacob’s advice, starts to compare Tina’s eyes to a salamander’s. It’s a sweet moment when Tina herself completes the thought, and then they SHOULD HAVE KISSED, but then some other dumb thing happened.

5. Nagini

The origins of this character are obviously being withheld for the remaining Fantastic Beasts movies, but after the shocking reveal of Nagini’s true identity and blood curse, it would have been great for The Crimes of Grindelwald to tell us more about her than all the revelations of the final trailer. Most of the time she just stuck to Credence and looked worried, which caused more annoyance than intrigue.

6. Newt’s assistant

To no one’s surprise, Newton Artemis Fido Scamander’s London flat is a veritable magical menagerie of creatures who are effectively nannied by a benevolent woman named Bunty. Bunty learns to care for the creatures even when they bite at her fingers, and she is completely in love with Newt. Tell me more about Bunty, and please don’t break her heart!

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is now in theaters.

Tunisian civil servants have gone on strike around the country to protest the failure of negotiations with the government for wage increases, amid plunging buying power and soaring inflation.

About 650,000 public sector workers were joined by thousands of other people across Tunisia on Thursday to protest the government’s refusal to raise wages amid threats from international lenders to stop financing Tunisia’s tattered economy.

Thousands gathered in front of parliament with chants of “shame on the government” and calls to be given their “rights.”

Schools, universities, municipalities and ministries were shut and hospitals had only emergency staffing in the nationwide walkout organised by the UGTT union, the biggest strike action in Tunisia for five years.

Thousands took to the streets in cities including Sfax, Gabes, Sidi Bouzid and Kasserine.

“I can’t pay for my sons’ food and studies out of a 900 dinar ($309) salary,” said the 50-year-old teacher Nafisa who was protesting outside the parliament. “I can’t pay back my bank loans.”

Under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a deepening political crisis, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed is battling to cut the budget deficit to about 4.9 percent of GDP this year from 6.2 percent last year.

His unpopular reforms include cuts to the public sector, state companies and fuel subsidies.

Tunisia’s economy has been in turmoil since autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was toppled in a 2011 uprising sparked by anger at unemployment and poverty.

Nourredine Taboubi, head of the UGTT, said negotiations failed because “the sovereign decision is not in the hands of the government, but of the IMF“.

The government says it does not have the money to pay for the increase the workers want which is around two billion Tunisian dinars ($690m).

“If Chahed was looking for populism or electoral interests, he would have signed for the wage increases, but we want to know who will finance salary increases,” government spokesperson Iyad Dahmani said.

He added that international lenders and the IMF threatened to stop financing Tunisia in the absence of reforms.

The government aims to cut the public sector wage bill to 12.5 percent of GDP in 2020 from the current 15.5 percent, one of the world’s highest in proportion to GDP.

The public sector wage bill has doubled to about 16bn dinars ($5.5bn) in 2018 from 7.6 billion in 2010.

The state Institute of Strategic Studies says real purchasing power has fallen by 40 percent since 2014.

Tunisia struck a deal struck with the IMF in December 2016 for a loan programme worth around $2.8bn to overhaul its ailing economy with steps to cut chronic deficits and trim bloated public services, but progress has been slow.

Liam Williams will start at full-back and Gareth Anscombe at fly-half as part of 14 Wales changes for Saturday’s match with South Africa in Cardiff.

Williams is the only survivor from the starting XV that beat Tonga 74-24, but moves from wing to full-back in place of the injured Leigh Halfpenny.

Head coach Warren Gatland names the same pack that helped beat Australia.

Williams is the only change from the side that ended a 10-year losing run against the Wallabies on 10 November.

Wales, on a three-match winning run against South Africa, are bidding for an autumn clean sweep and a ninth consecutive win in Test matches.

Halfpenny has failed to recover from a head injury suffered in a challenge by Australia’s Samu Kerevi, an incident Gatland called “reckless”.

Anscombe has held off the challenge of Dan Biggar, who is named on the bench, with the Cardiff Blues man likely to take over the goal-kicking responsibilities in Halfpenny’s absence.

“We have rewarded the team that faced Australia,” said Gatland.

“Leigh misses out with concussion but it’s a great opportunity for Liam at full-back where he hasn’t had a lot of time at full-back in the last year.

“We’re giving him a chance without making too many changes.

“It’s tough, players are disappointed not to be involved.

“It’s a catch 22 situation, you reward a player who’s done well and taken his chance, but then you get the knock on the door from players who want to know why they have been dropped.”

Gatland says Wales are also hoping for a first autumn clean sweep.

“It is always nice to achieve milestones,” said Gatland.

“The players are fully aware of what they’ve achieved and they can do something special.

“Momentum would be created for the Six Nations and they can continue to build towards the World Cup.

“I haven’t seen this level of maturity in a group of players. We’re calm and our composure in games has been outstanding.

“We want to end the campaign with a big performance against a very good South African side. It’s the end of a campaign, like a cup game. Winner takes all.”

Wales: L Williams (Saracens); North (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets), Parkes (Scarlets), Adams (Worcester); Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), G Davies (Scarlets); Smith (Ospreys), Owens (Scarlets), Francis (Exeter), Beard (Ospreys), Jones (Ospreys, capt), Lydiate (Ospreys), Tipuric (Ospreys), Moriarty (Dragons).

Replacements: Dee (Dragons), Evans (Scarlets), Lewis (Cardiff Blues), Hill (Dragons), Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), T Williams (Cardiff Blues), Biggar (Northampton), Watkin (Ospreys).

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

Assistants: Wayne Barnes (England), Karl Dickson (England)

TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

Image: Shutterstock / MatViv23

Everybody loves a good meteor shower. 

There’s nothing quite like a night spent out under the stars, learning a little bit more about your place in the cosmos. 

Everyone has that friend who’s obsessed with space — I am that friend for many people — so maybe this holiday it’s time to give them a gift they’ll use all the time when heading out for long nights of skywatching.

You might think that a telescope or a pair of binoculars might be the perfect gift for that friend obsessed with skywatching, but in reality, they probably have their heart set on a very specific piece of expensive gear.

Instead of buying one of those big-ticket items, more understated gift will be sure to please and surprise the budding skywatcher in your life.

Image: Amazon/DOWN UNDER OUTDOORS

Those late nights spent in dark places during the fall and winter can get chilly, so your favorite skywatcher will always appreciate a cuddly blanket to bundle up with. 

It also helps if the blanket is waterproof and can be used on the ground like a picnic blanket, like the quilted fleece stadium blanket. Versatility is key when it comes to skywatching, and a good convertible blanket is a great option.

Price: $39.99 on Amazon

Just like a warm blanket, a thermos can come in quite handy during a long night of skywatching. Fill the thermos with tea or coffee and settle in for a long night of gazing up at the stars with your friends.

Even picky skywatchers should be pleased with the 20-ounce YETI Rambler in stainless steel, though as long as it keeps your liquids the right temperature, anything will do.

Price: $29.99 on Amazon

We all know that it’s important to take a headlamp out with you into dark places after nightfall, but the type of headlamp matters when it comes to skywatching.

Bright white light can ruin night vision, and since it takes about 30 minutes for eyes to adjust to the dark, you don’t want to constantly have white light shining when trying to read a map or guide.

My personal favorite headlamp is the Black Diamond Cosmo, which has more settings than most of us ever need, including a red light mode that won’t ruin your night vision.

Price: $29.95 at REI

Image: amazon/paul bogard

Skywatchers need entertainment even when there’s no meteor shower on display, so what’s better than a good book to enhance the stargazing experience? 

One of my personal favorites is The End of Night by Paul Bogard. The book walks readers through a well-written account of how and why the dark night sky is disappearing around the world and what, if anything, we can do about it.

Price: $9.28 on Amazon

Image: itunes store/Star walk

Even the best skywatcher can get turned around when looking up at the night sky. We all need help getting oriented sometimes, and one of the best ways to do that is with a skywatching app. My personal favorite of the many night sky apps out there is Star Walk. 

The app has a simple interface and points out all the great items of interest, including satellites and any planets that might be visible. It always helps to be able to quickly tap on an app and hold it up to the sky to figure out exactly what you’re seeing at a moment’s notice.

Price: $2.99 on iTunes; $2.99 through Google Play

England’s lack of a settled number three Test batsman is “not the perfect scenario”, Joe Root has admitted.

The recalled Jonny Bairstow will be the fourth player to bat at three against Sri Lanka in three matches when the final Test begins in Colombo on Friday.

Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Keaton Jennings have all batted there so far in a series in which England hold an unassailable 2-0 lead.

“We want to have that position nailed down,” captain Root told BBC Sport.

“The exciting thing is we’ve found ways of winning matches without that.

“Over the next few months, if that can be nailed on then we’ll see another step in the right direction for this team.”

England are looking to win every Test in a series in Sri Lanka for the first time and become only the third side after India this year and Australia in 2004 to win 3-0 there.

Bairstow, 29, is set to become the 11th player to bat at three in under five years since Jonathan Trott’s final Test in that position against Australia at Brisbane in 2013.

Moeen started the current series at three after taking that spot during the fourth Test against India in the summer, but moved back down the order after making only a duck and then three in the first Test at Galle.

Fellow all-rounder Stokes moved up to three for the first innings of the second Test in Pallekele, and scored 19, before Jennings hit 26 at three in the second innings after nightwatchman Jack Leach opened.

“Having a settled number three would be ideal but we should be open to being flexible,” said Root.

“We have adapted well – in that second innings in Pallekele we could’ve easily left the order as it was but we wanted to split the left-handers up.

“We’ve been quite smart and shrewd in areas like that and you see at lot of it in one-day cricket so why not see more of it in Test cricket?”

‘I want the gloves back’ – Bairstow

Wicketkeeper-batsman Bairstow missed the first Test after suffering ankle ligament damage playing football in training and was not selected for the second Test after replacement Ben Foakes scored a century on debut and impressed behind the stumps.

All-rounder Sam Curran is out with a side strain and England have opted to strengthen their batting with Bairstow.

“Ben has made it difficult for Jonny to get back into the team because he’s done phenomenally well since coming in and made that position his own,” said Root.

“But this a great chance for Jonny to get back into scoring Test match runs and hopefully he can grab it with both hands.”

Bairstow told BBC Sport he wants the gloves back but was ready to “go out and try to stamp my authority” on the number three slot.

“Naturally I’m frustrated I won’t be keeping wicket because I’ve put a lot of hard work in over the last three years and I don’t think I’ve done a huge amount wrong,” he said.

“I’ll still be working on my keeping just as hard as I have been and if the position comes up then hopefully I’ll get it but you don’t want to wish illness, injury or loss of form on anyone.

“Batting at three is a great opportunity and going into the Ashes you want people to be in positions for a period of time, learning how to craft an innings in those specific positions.”

Root added England would likely not have rested fast bowler James Anderson if the series was still at stake but are “not losing out” by recalling Stuart Broad in his place.

“It’s important that over the next couple of years we’re really clever in managing those two, getting the most out of them for as long as possible,” he said.

“There is not a huge amount of Test cricket before the Ashes so getting Stuart some game time seems a really sensible thing to do.”

England team for third Test: Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Ben Foakes (wk), Adil Rashid, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad.

Having starred in two Creed movies and probably endured some pretty rigorous physical training, Michael B. Jordan is pretty quick on his feet — and fast with his hands. 

On The Late Late Show, Jordan demonstrated to host James Corden just how quick he can actually move them.

In a game of good old try-to-slap-my-hand-before-I-move-it-away, Jordan beat a shrieking James Corden pretty convincingly. 

Oh, Michael. Your hands are faster than the speed of our love for you. 

Referees should show more red and yellow cards in an effort to eradicate dangerous tackles in the game, says World Rugby chief Brett Gosper.

Recent matches have seen controversial challenges, including England’s Owen Farrell’s tackle on South African Andre Esterhuizen, which went unpunished.

The number of reported concussions has risen in each of the last seven years, according to the Rugby Football Union.

“The cards are there to change behaviour,” Gosper said.

He told the Daily Telegraph: “They only continue to be a problem if behaviour does not change. The only way you can get player behaviour to change is to sanction with red cards and actually, we have probably not seen enough of it.”

Gosper says not enough has been done to persuade players to lower the height of the tackle since the law was changed earlier this year and he wants referees to take a tougher stance.

So far this year four leading players – Ireland back Jared Payne, Dragons centre Adam Hughes, La Rochelle lock Jason Eaton and Leicester back-row Dominic Ryan – have been forced to retire as a result of head injuries.

In October, European chiefs vowed to continue the crackdown on contact with the head amid a rash of red and yellow cards being shown this season.

Later that month, Gloucester fly-half Danny Cipriani was given a three-week ban for a high tackle during his side’s Champions Cup defeat by Munster.

In addition, Toulouse back rower Jerome Kaino and Saracens’ Alex Lozowski were given bans of five and four weeks respectively for dangerous tackles.

Farrell’s tackle on Esterhuizen in England’s 12-11 win over South Africa proved pivotal, with the visitors arguing they should have been awarded a late penalty.

The decision not to award a penalty or a card divided opinion among experts on social media.

Gosper added: “I would say in many ways we have probably not been hard enough. There have probably not been as many yellow cards as we would like, and maybe not even as many red cards as we would like.

“We have not had the behaviour change that we are seeking yet, so we have to continue in that vein.”

Image: instant pot/mashable photo composite

Step aside, Xboxes and giant TVs: Instant Pots are taking up space on page one of Black Friday ads now. These little multi-cookers have been dominating the kitchen gadget conversation for the past year or so, and numerous retailers are competing to see who can offer the best price on one of this year’s hottest items.

SEE ALSO: All the best Black Friday 2018 sales, right in one place

It’s totally not surprising, though. Instant Pots just make cooking (and life) easier, and are one of those rare items that fit into the daily lives of college students, adults, and grandparents alike — so we’d suggest shopping online to avoid stores selling out or getting knocked over by grandma hauling ass down the kitchen aisle.

Somewhere around $30 off seems to be the sweet spot this year, but not all retailers have the same models on sale — but we’ll let you know where the deals are and where coupons can help you even more. If you’re iffy on which model makes the most sense for your household, you can check out our guide to which Instant Pot is right for you.

Kohl’s is offering 15% off your purchase until Nov. 23 with promo code JOY. That means that the price of the 6-quart DUO technically drops to around $59.49, which is a way better price than every other place is offering. But remember, that’s only if you snag it on actual Black Friday. If you’ve been eyeing up the roast-ready Aura or the Fancy 10-in-1 Ultra, here’s a chance to take 15% off.

Walmart is the only place we’ve seen so far with a discount on the LUX. It has the least amount of functions, but that also means a low price. Plus, most retailers are only offering the 6-quart model on sale, and this 8-quart model is great when cooking for a crowd.

The 6-quart 7-in-1 Duo sits at $69.99 here, which is what we’re seeing at most other places for Black Friday. Macy’s is running a promo that takes $20 off of purchases over $50, but it won’t work on the 6-quart price as it’s a doorbuster. However, Macy’s has the Duo in the 3-quart and 8-quart models, and the coupon should work on those — giving you a sneak discount on models that other stores aren’t offering. Use code BLKFRI50 on Nov. 23 to get the extra savings.

More Instant Pots on sale:

Target’s price on the 6-quart Duo is basically what Macy’s is, but $0.05 cheaper. But if you have a Target card, you can save an extra 5% on your purchase and take an extra three bucks off. Hey, whatever you’ve got to do to save some cash — that’s our motto anyway.

 

Black Friday 2018 deals by store

Black Friday 2018 deals by category

• Gaming deals: Xbox One X, PlayStation 4, Nintendo, Alienware laptops, and more 

• Laptop deals: Lenovo Yoga, Alienware, Dell, HP, Asus, and more

• TV deals: OLEDs from Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, and more

• Smart home deals: Amazon Echo, Roomba, Google Home, Apple HomePod
   

Eric Brown had a target on his back for 28 years. That’s how long he spent in the security forces of Northern Ireland, first in the police, then the British Army, during the Troubles.

The sectarian conflict from 1968 to 1998 pitted mostly Catholic Irish nationalists, who wanted to end British rule in Northern Ireland, against mostly Protestant unionists, who wanted British rule to continue.

Policemen and soldiers were routine targets for Irish nationalist paramilitaries, as they were regarded as enforcers of British occupation.

The most dangerous place to be a police officer or soldier was along the controversial border, nearly 500 kilometres long, that divided Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland. It is where Brown worked and lived, in the strongly nationalist county of Fermanagh.

The border is quiet now, and people on both sides can travel across it without even realising they’ve done so. But security officials across the United Kingdomand Ireland have warned that Brexit might put an end to that.

The European Union insists that if Northern Ireland leaves the bloc along with the rest of the UK, and adopts different trading rules from EU-member state the Republic of Ireland, then they’ll be forced to create a “hard border” of customs checks and trading posts. 

That could, in the worst case scenario, incite Irish nationalist paramilitaries, now largely dormant, to renew their attacks.

But Brown, like many unionists, sees warnings of a so-called hard border as a threat European leaders are using to force Britain to stay close to the European Union.

“I always thought this hard border stuff was a little bit of scaremongering,” he tells Al Jazeera. “I don’t for one moment believe that this could challenge the peace and lead to a return of violence. I don’t think the situation and circumstances are right, certain political parties could not afford to return to terrorism.”

He is disappointed by the deal negotiated by the British government to withdraw from the EU. In order to avoid any possibility of a “hard border”, Prime Minister Theresa May has agreed that Northern Ireland will continue to abide by all of the EU’s trading rules, even if the rest of the UK diverges.

The deal has prompted consternation from unionists, who fear they are being sold out. 

It is a double shock because, due to May’s poor performance in elections last year, she has been relying on Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to back up her government. Faced with the prospect of their homeland being permanently economically cut off from the rest of the UK, the DUP has all but withdrawn its support for her.

During the 2016 Brexit referendum, Brown voted to remain in the EU, and even though the result went the other way, he says it should be honoured. 

Now he is faced with the prospect of living under EU rules, with Northern Ireland’s place in the UK undermined.

“There is trepidation among unionists. This is a threat to the union,” he says. “I don’t see why Northern Ireland should be treated preferentially, because we took the decision as a nation, we need to face it as a nation.”

But not everyone agrees, including most of those who work in the Province’s vital agricultural industry. 

The Ulster Farmers’ Union has thrown its weight behind the deal, not with great enthusiasm, but because almost all of its members agree that any deal that keeps close economic ties with the EU is better than simply crashing out of the bloc without agreement.

“Withdrawing without a deal would be an absolute disaster,” says the union’s president, Ivor Ferguson. “Seventy-five percent of what we produce leaves Northern Ireland. We depend so much on trading north and south, any restrictions on that would be a problem.”

Business leaders and organisations representing the hospitality, food and drinks industry have also backed the deal. 

It isn’t just about continuing free trade with Europe, it’s also about maintaining the high product standards promoted by the EU.

“A big concern for us would be if the floodgates were opened to cheap products below our standards,” Ivor continues. “Some of the politicians who said not to worry about leaving the EU without a deal were also the ones who wanted to bring in cheap products from America and elsewhere.”

Even for farmers though, the deal creates nervousness. 

Ivor says he’s received assurances from London that there will never be any restrictions for Northern Irish products being sold into the rest of the UK, guarantees which “at the moment” he takes at face value.

But Ben Lowry, deputy editor of the Belfast-based unionist daily newspaper The News Letter, envisages a full trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

“The EU won’t allow us out and London clearly won’t fight for us,” he says, “it means a major barrier between us and the rest of the UK.”

Despite this sentiment, the deal has not prompted mass protests. According to Lowry, the issues are too complex. “Very few people understand it and the implications of it, and therefore there is nothing like the uproar that there should be.”

He is dismissive of suggestions that Northern Ireland could benefit from its unique position between the EU and the rest of the UK, attracting investment from international companies that want to straddle both jurisdictions.

“Many people believe we will get the best of both worlds. I would even be attracted to that myself, if it wasn’t my fear for the long-term implications of this,” he says. “This is a victory for Irish nationalism better than they could have dreamt of a few years ago.”

England centre Manu Tuilagi is set to make his long-anticipated Test return after being named on the bench to face Australia at Twickenham on Saturday.

Tuilagi’s only England appearance since 2014 was as a 63rd-minute replacement against Wales in March 2016.

Jamie George is picked ahead of co-captain Dylan Hartley at hooker, while Owen Farrell starts at fly-half with Ben Te’o and Henry Slade the centres.

Bath’s Joe Cokanasiga is on the wing in place of the injured Jack Nowell.

Number eight Nathan Hughes, whose six-week ban for punching ended this week, is on the bench as coach Eddie Jones opts to recall Sam Underhill and Brad Shields to the starting line-up and persist with Newcastle’s Mark Wilson at the back of the pack.

Courtney Lawes shifts from the back row into the second row.

Jones said he had named a full-strength team to face Australia after an experimental selection stuttered to a 35-15 win over Japan last weekend.

“We’ve picked our best 23 for the Australia game. We know they have a unique style of attack so our ability to defend that is going to be important,” he said.

“I’m really happy with the direction we’re going in terms of the way we play the game. We are developing a unique style of rugby, which is English and the players are proud to play that way.”

A succession of injuries and disciplinary issues have restricted Tuilagi to the briefest of cameos during Jones’ time in charge, with a groin strain forcing him to drop out of the squad to face South Africa in the first of England’s autumn internationals.

He has scored three tries in seven appearances this season for Leicester.

Wounded Wallabies?

Australia have won only four of their last 14 Tests with a 9-6 defeat by Wales a fortnight ago, followed by an unconvincing 26-7 win over Italy last weekend.

Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle has backed coach Michael Cheika, but has admitted there is “universal frustration” at the team’s performances.

Australia have won 25 of their previous 49 games against England, but lost the last five encounters.

The Wallabies are due to announce their team at 15:00 GMT on Thursday with doubts around several players, including star backs Israel Folau and Bernard Foley, after a sickness bug in the camp.

However, England staff have made light of the extent of the illness and a neck injury to flanker David Pocock, with defence coach John Mitchell suggesting it could part of Australia’s “mind games”.

England team to face Australia:

Daly; Cokanasiga, Slade, Te’o, May; Farrell, Youngs; Moon, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Lawes, Shields, Underhill, Wilson.

Replacements: Hartley, Hepburn, Williams, Ewels, Hughes, Wigglesworth, Ford, Tuilagi