Australian coach Tim Sheens has rubbished claims England are in chaos after the desperate tourists put a broom through their side ahead of Sunday's must-win Four Nations clash.

England coach Steve McNamara on Friday unveiled 11 personnel and positional changes to the side which lost to New Zealand in the tournament opener, with England needing to beat the Aussies to stay alive.

Australia named an unchanged squad to the one which demolished Papua New Guinea, though St George Illawarra pair Dean Young and Darius Boyd have been added to an extended bench as cover.

But England are barely recognisable, with just six players - wingers Darrell Goulding and Tom Briscoe, centre Ryan Atkins, hooker James Roby, backrower Gareth Ellis and skipper James Graham - to start in the same position they did against the Kiwis.

The biggest shift is in the halves with wonderkid Sam Tomkins reverting to fullback, with backrower Sean O'Loughlin and Huddersfield halfback Luke Robinson forming the new scrumbase pairing.

Sheens claimed the new-look side was more potent than the one which ran out against the Kiwis, particularly with Tomkins in the No.1 jumper and South Sydney juggernaut Sam Burgess in the front row.

"I think some of the changes are very, very good and dangerous for us," Sheens said.

"They're bringing in their stronger players and getting them more football ... (they're) a little bit more flamboyant with the kid at the back - I don't think young Gareth (dropped fullback Gareth Widdop) brought that sort of speed.

"(Burgess) gets a bit more ball, he's more dangerous - he worried us last year when he started in the front row in the final."

Burgess was dynamic in that Elland Road clash, with his two-try effort almost carrying the home side to a memorable win before Australia staged a stunning late rally.

Tomkins was moved to fullback with great success for Super League champions Wigan this year, with Australian skipper Darren Lockyer likening his impact to the best the NRL has to offer.

"It's a bit like defending against a Billy Slater or a Jarryd Hayne - they're good on their feet, they're quick," Lockyer said.

Asked how the Kangaroos would look to combat Tomkins, Lockyer said: "Just no disorganised kicks, just really have a team effort against him."

McNamara showed some surprise when a reporter pointed out the magnitude of his changes, with Widdop, five-eighth Kevin Brown and prop Darrell Griffin dropped, while centre Michael Shenton is out with an ankle injury.

"I was actually a little bit shocked myself when he said there was 11 changes," McNamara said.

"I thought there was four changes.

"One was forced through injury and three that we've made in terms of taking three players out and putting three players in and you'd expect that after last week.

"We want to get Sam out of that (playmaking) role where we're giving him some opportunities to run the ball."

With Sheens going with the same 17 players, it is expected this line-up will be his first-choice should they win and progress through to the final.

An Australian victory and a New Zealand win over PNG on Saturday would leave next week's Australia-New Zealand clash as a dead rubber, with both sides to meet a week later in the final.

But Sheens said there was still scope for the likes of Darius Boyd and Todd Carney to force their way in.

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