Match Thread: Wales v England, Cardiff, Sat 11 Feb 16:50, RTE/BBC

sydthebeat

Venue: Principality Stadium. Date: 11 Feb 2017 Kick-off: 16:50 GMT Coverage: Watch live on RTE 2, BBC One Wales, BBC iplayer, TBC

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Wales

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England

01: Rob Evans|01: Joe Marler
02: Ken Owens|02: Dylan Hartley (c)
03: Tomas Francis|03: Dan Cole
04: Jake Ball|04: Joe Launchbury
05: Alan Wyn Jones (c)|05: Courtney Lawes
06: Sam Warburtonl|06: Maro Itoje
07: justin Tipuric |07: Jack Clifford
08: Ross Moriarty|08: Nathan Hughes
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09: Rhys Webb|09: Ben Youngs
10: Dan Biggar|10: George Ford
11: Liam Williams|11: Jack Nowell
12: Scott Williams|12: Owen Farrell
13: Jonathan Davies|13: Jonathan Joseph
14: George North|14: Elliot Daly
15: Leigh Halfpenny|15: Mike Brown
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16: Scott Baldwin|16: Jamie George
17: Nicky Smith|17: Matt Mullan
18: Samson Lee|18: Kyle Sinckler
19: Cory Hill|19: Ton Wood
20: Taulupe Faletau|20: James Haskell
21: Gareth Davies|21: Danny Care
22: Sam Davies |22: Ben Te'o
23: Jamie Roberts|23: Jonny May

The big question:
Can Wales stop Englands winning run??

With home games to Scotland and Italy on the way for England it looks like Saturdays game will most likely be Englands toughest challenge before travelling to Dublin for the possibility of a record breaking 19 wins. Wales will need no more incentive than stopping this run and continuing their own push for a first 6 nations title in 4 years, interestingly which was the last lions tour year as well.

England travel to the millennium (*ahem*, apologies) “Principality” stadium after being frightened by an exuberant France last Saturday, and they cannot afford to be as complacent and ill disciplined against the welsh as they were that day. Jonny May drops to the bench in favour of, in my opinion, a vastly superior winger in Jack Nowell, partly because of his ridiculous tackle attempt which got carded. Nowell brings so much more to the 14 shirt than the fast but limited May, and could be a quite bolter for the lions squad on the back of a good competition. In the only other change Jack Clifford comes in for Tom Wood, as he was quite ineffective against the French. Clifford brings probably less ‘meat’ but more athleticism to the position, and with Itoje at 7, I think Jones here wants faster mobile back rows to negate welsh threat off quick ball.

Wales, although putting 33 points up on Italy, were completely unconvincing against the Italian. They left a TBP behind them last Sunday because of their conservative decisions to take the penalty points on offer after some basic Italian errors in the first half, relying on Halfpennys boot to built the score. They will not have the opportunities against England to build up these scores so if they are to The only time they looked incisive was in the 60th minute when Italy were down to 14, and even at that it took an ill timed shooter from the Italian line to allow the space for the impressive Scott Williams to create the score for J Davies to dot down. Liam Williams also took advantage of the extra man in a well work switch move from Rhys Webb and George North showed he isn’t yet ready for the scrap heap at the ripe old age of 24!

Head to head

Youngs V Webb
Two very different scrum halfs in that Webb prefers to let his forwards do their thing leaving him to direct their backs around the field. Youngs is much more of a forward general and leaves the playmaking to Ford and Farrell. Webb is probably quicker about the field though probably because Youngs is always on the look out for lazy pillars. These two are most probably playing it out for the bench spot behind Murray in New Zealand.

Back rows
Wales have selected a practically all out “7” back row in that Moriarty is no stranger to the open side flank. Warburton wears 6 and does the donkey work of a six but is a limpid over a ball and Tipuric, who many see as a better open side with better hands, will have the freedom to join the back line and do damage there. England, on the other hand, have selected Itoje at 6, who was quieter than his usual self last weekend. He adds an aerial threat in the line out that England will look to profit from, with Wales losing the tower of Charteris in the row. Jack Clifford is given his chance to shine in the 7 shirt, though hes more used to the 6 or 8 on his back. He will add the athleticism and speed to the English back row and will hope to mirror his exploits the last time he faced Wales.

Prediction
Bookies have England +5 in most places and i think thats possibly a little short for them. Haskell has come out this week and pretty much laid out how they see this game, essentially breaking it down to "we know what way wales will play". To me thats the big question here. Wales arent deceptive or subtle. They are tough, big and hard and will play direct. If they get quick ball against an unsettled defense they can make them pay on the scoreboard.
However.... i dont expect them to get quick easy ball. I expect England to dominate the set piece, especially the line out. I expect the first half to be a kicking bonanza both from open play and the tee. Nowell will be the stand out player, Sam Davies will get about 15 mins and do SFA.

England by 11

wittycynic

Great write up. Definitely the glamour clash of the weekend and the two teams you'd expect the majority of Lions picks to come from realistically. I have to say, I expect an English victory. Reasonably evenly matched personnel wise, but England definitely look like the better coached team at the moment.

errlloyd

I'm hearing that Cuthbert is in North is out.

razorblunt

England will take this, though I do think they get too much respect and the French could probably have beaten them last weekend.
We all know the Welsh will always be up for the English but I think they're no where near as good as they think they are especially with Howley leading them and while it will probably be close for 50-60 minutes, England will push ahead and win by 9-12 points.

awec

errlloyd wrote: »

I'm hearing that Cuthbert is in North is out.

Heard the same.

vienne86

So.....North is out, as rumoured.

Stheno

DUH missed this thread.

Is the goat a ceremonial thing for the Welsh?

MJohnston

What was the silence for? And why was it followed by booing?

Peregrine

MJohnston wrote: »

What was the silence for? And why was it followed by booing?

Wasn't paying attention but for Joost, I presume.

Don't know about booing.

Losty Dublin

MJohnston wrote: »

What was the silence for? And why was it followed by booing?

Joost von der Westhuizen. I think it was more accents then actual booing.

Stheno

MJohnston wrote: »

What was the silence for? And why was it followed by booing?

All matches this weekend have a one minute silence in memory of the SA Rugby player Joost van der Westhuizen who passed away from Motor Neuron disease this week.

Dunno what the booing was about.

Losty Dublin

That was one amazing rendition of Land of My Fathers.

pickarooney

What exactly does Garland be up to that he hasn't gone to coach Wales?

Stheno

pickarooney wrote: »

What exactly does Garland be up to that he hasn't gone to coach Wales?

The Lions?

LuckyGent88

Really solid start from Wales. Good carries with quick ball and get some points.

For the first time in my life I actually feel completely neutral.

vienne86

Nice start by Wales. Great to have a kicker like 1/2p.

Stheno

vienne86 wrote: »

Nice start by Wales. Great to have a kicker like 1/2p.

@ vienne, apparently the goat is a mascot!

The Pheasant2

Anyone know where to go for radio coverage? In work and BBC is geolocked

vienne86

Lovely kick upfield by 1/2p. C'mon Wales!

Peregrine

Jesus. That kick.

pickarooney

Stheno wrote: »

The Lions?

What exactly though, paperwork?

sydthebeat

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Anyone know where to go for radio coverage? In work and BBC is geolocked

Bbc radio 5 live

MJohnston

[Deleted User] wrote: »

For the first time in my life I actually feel completely neutral.

Ireland need a Welsh victory really.

Losty Dublin

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Anyone know where to go for radio coverage? In work and BBC is geolocked

Working fine for me. It's in English as well.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radiowales

vienne86

Great turnover......but touch missed.

Clegg

Try for England if Farrell could have released the ball to the wing.

vienne86

Clegg wrote: »

Try for England if Farrell could have released the ball to the wing.

There was a huge overlap there. England look dangerous.

MJohnston

MJohnston wrote: »

Ireland need a Welsh victory really.

6n yes. World rankings no.

Zzippy

Deleted User wrote: »

For the first time in my life I actually feel completely neutral.

Same here in the sense of wanting both teams to lose equally

MJohnston

[Deleted User] wrote: »

6n yes. World rankings no.

Yeah, I don't care about the rankings. But that's a long other conversation about seedings.

Is it wrong of me to completely hate Farrell purely because of his kicking routine?

vienne86

Let off for Wales there as Elliott misses.

MJohnston

England look inevitable...

Stheno

26 phases for that try!

Clegg

Jaysus that was some try.

vienne86

Heroic defence from Wales, but that score was inevitable.

Losty Dublin

Attrition with the try.

Stheno

MJohnston wrote: »

Is it wrong of me to completely hate Farrell purely because of his kicking routine?

No it drives me nuts.

LuckyGent88

Very impressive stuff from England. Just pure power

vienne86

MJohnston wrote: »

Is it wrong of me to completely hate Farrell purely because of his kicking routine?

Certainly not!

swiwi_

Very impressive start from the poms.

wp_rathead

Great try, Joseph has a lovely pass

MJohnston

Owen Farrell:

vienne86

Wales doing well there, but hell, England are very strong.

Diabhal Beag

Ryle just called Mike Brown Mike Catt. Impressive.

vienne86

Great pressure by Biggar there.

wp_rathead

Nowell never released the ball there

vienne86

I thought Webb was in there.

BBDBB

Wales playing well




I feel dirty now

LuckyGent88

Really entertaining contest so far. Good pace to the game

vienne86

Short.