Six Nations: Wales V England Preview

Picture a scene: the final whistle has been blown at the Millennium stadium. Men, women and children all dressed as daffodils sing and chant in unison as their counter parts dressed up like Richard the Lion heart make a quick exit out the stadium. A team stand centre stage holding yet another Six Nations trophy aloft for all to see after dispatching their old rivals at home, barely without getting past a canter in the process and cruelly snatching a grand slam away from them on top of that. Can you recall a sweeter feeling? Probably, if you're an England supporter. I for one have watched clips of child birth on telly and still been less perturbed by what I saw on the screen in comparison that night in the Welsh capital. 

Game on

What can we expect two years on from the same fixture? Both teams come into the first game of rugby's greatest championship after a disappointing Autumn series bar a pride restoring final fixture for each against a Southern Hemisphere foe. On top of that, both share a pool in eight months time and will be desperate to gain bragging rights when the prize steps up from Europe to the World. 

However, where the two teams start to differ is squad availability as Wales seemingly already benefitting from their newly established Central Player Contracts have a fully fit squad to draw from. The same most certainly cannot be said for England who limp into Cardiff with half of their preferred starting XV receiving medical treatment for one ailment or the other. That being said, a wounded lion is still a lion, capable of inflicting a mauling to an adversary who doesn't take it seriously. England, after all, claim the largest squad depth out of all the home nation teams and so where one player falls, likely clutching his knee or shoulder, another can step in to fill the gap.  

For this reason expect both sides to approach this game with the upmost respect and preparation regardless of circumstances. You only needed to pick up a newspaper this week to hear talk of Hymns and Arias omitting from Pennyhill Park, as well as the expected pre-game rhetoric from Warren Gatland. This i one of the fieriest rivalries in sport writing its most recent chapter in the most important of all years.

As mentioned above, Wales are capable of fielding a full strength team as opposed to a new look England side – in fact nearly 300 international caps separate the two teams. The scrum, however, is perhaps one place where England can claim a slight advantage as British and Irish Lion Dan Cole returns to the fold due to the late withdrawal of David Wilson. His opposite number Samson Lee is the man Gatland has tasked with the daunting challenge of taking over the mantel from Adam Jones as the lynchpin of the welsh pack. If the last two meetings of these sides has taught us anything, the scrum could go a long way to determining who comes out on top overall. 

Another key battle will be between the two number eights; the cousins who opted to play their rugger on different sides of the Severn Bridge will surely put all family ties to one side in what is primed to be an earth-shattering contest for the gain line. Taulupe Faletau is maturing into a truly top class backrow forward and is perhaps the first name on the team sheet, consistently influential and always top of the stat charts. Billy Vunipola, on the other hand, has been far from consistent since his international debut and all wearing white will be hoping his barnstorming performance against Munster wasn't simply a false dawn.

In the backs all eyes will be on Rhys Webb and George Ford as these are the two men tasked with providing some creative dynamism for their respective backlines. Webb seems to have finally ousted Mike Phillips for the scrum half position and hasn't looked back since. Currently in the form of his life, possessing a fizzing pass combined with a sharp eye for a break he'll certainly keep the English on their toes for the full 80. Ford too possesses sharp reflexes when attempting to pick apart defences and will be hoping his club form alongside team mate Joseph will translate effectively to the international stage. If his nerves hold and he kicks his goals an upset could well be on the cards.

Prediction: It really is hard to see past Wales for this one as Cardiff is starting to look a mightily daunting place to visit, especially for an injury plagued England side. As such it's the men in red's match to lose in the first fixture of 2015. Sam Warburton and co have issued an almighty call to arms this year and so expect a 70,000 strong Millennium stadium to answer it. Wales to win by 6

Match Information:

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 George North, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Gethin Jenkins.

Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Paul James, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Luke Charteris, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Liam Williams.

England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 James Haskell, 5 George Kruis, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Joe Marler.

Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Nick Easter, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Billy Twelvetrees.

Date: Friday, February 6
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kickoff: 20:05 GMT

Referee: Jérôme Garcès (FFR)

Assistant Referees: Romain Poite (FFR), Mathieu Raynal (FFR)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ire)

Article by Alex Dodd

England Six Nations Squad: What We Want to See Vs What We Expect to See

With only a  matter of hours to go before Stuart Lancaster announces his squad for the fast-approaching Six Nations, Alex Hawksworth-Brookes and Alex Dodd talk through the teams they want to see line up at the Millenium Stadium in a couple of weeks, before leaving cloud-cuckoo land with an “Expected XV”.

Alex Hawksworth-Brookes' Wanted XV:

1 Joe Marler

The Harlequins captain faces some stiff competition with the return of Alex Corbisiero, but a strong run in the Autumn and proven match fitness see him get the nod for a starting position.

2 Rob Webber

Consistency at the set piece is essential for any team to achieve dominance and the Bath hooker will bring that much-needed dependability at the scrum and lineout.

3 Kieran Brookes

If you needed any reassurance that the Newcastle prop was a star in the making, you need look no further than the fact that he has just been signed by Premiership champions Northampton Saints. Injuries to more established players and a strong Autumn would see Brookes start in my XV.

4 George Kruis

Injuries to Lawes and Launchbury mean that the Saracens man has a chance to build on his Autumn appearances. The impending return of more established players and the chance of sneaking into the World Cup squad should give Kruis a great incentive to deliver some titanic performances.

5 Dave Atwood

Atwood has been at the heart of a powerful Bath pack this season and will need to bring equal levels of intensity against Wales. With Parling on the bench whilst his injury, Atwood will be instrumental at the lineout.

6 Chris Robshaw (C)

It’s hard to imagine an England team without Robshaw at its heart – although he’s seldom the most flamboyant of players, his tireless work-rate and leadership are essential parts of Stuart Lancaster’s setup.

Chris Robshaw is the beating heart of this England team

7 James Haskell

The Wasps captain has had a real resurgence this season, and has been at the heart of a powerful and exciting team who are on the verge of heading into knock-out European rugby. Tom Wood is unfortunate to miss out, but Haskell will bring a more physical edge.

8 Thomas Waldrom

Billy Vunipola and Nick Easter have both been putting in impressive performances, and Ben Morgan would have been a shoe-in had he not been injured, but it’s hard to argue for the omission of the Premiership’s leading try scorer. Yes, that statistic is correct.

9 Joe Simpson

It’s highly unlikely the Wasps scrum half will even get a call up, with Care, Youngs, and Wigglesworth all ahead in the pecking order. However, Simpson has been in fine domestic form, and his sniping runs will bring some much-needed impetus to England’s attack.

10 George Ford

There should be no argument here; the Bath 10 has been one of the standout players in the Premiership. Ford’s intelligence and flair will be key to unlocking well-drilled opposition defences.

11 Jonny May

One of the greatest performers from the Autumn campaign – if the Gloucester flyer can continue his skyrocketing form on the international arena then England fans will be incredibly happy. Let’s hope that his crab-running days are well and truly done.

Jonny May will be hoping to add to his Autumn tries

12 Luther Burrell

Unlucky to miss out in the Autumn, now is the time for Burrell to demonstrate why he was first choice this time last year. With Ford on the inside and Jonathan Joseph outside, the Northampton Saint will bring some essential muscle and direct running.

13 Jonathan Joseph

If single-handedly undoing the Toulouse defence isn’t enough to get this man into the England team, then nothing will. Undoubtedly one of the most exciting players in the Premiership at the moment.

14 Jack Nowell

A return from injury has seen the Exeter winger reach new heights. As dependable in defence as ever, he’s also been in fine try-scoring form.

15 Anthony Watson

Were it not for a season-ending injury at the weekend, I would have had Ben Foden lining up at 15. However, one man’s pain is another man’s gain, and there are few more exciting than Bath’s Antony Watson.

16 Alex Corbisiero

It’s great to see the Lion Corbisiero back to full fitness, but he’ll need some strong cameo performances to win back his starting spot.

17 David Wilson

Prop is one of England’s most competitive positions, but Davey Wilson gets the bench spot on the back of strong domestic and international outings. He’s also handy to have around for when clearance kicks are called for:

18 Dylan Hartley

Disciplinary concerns aside, the Saints captain is one of the best hookers around, and will be desperate to prove that he can keep his cool at the highest level.

19 Geoff Parling

Another man on the return from injury. Once instrumental to England’s lineout, the Leicester Tiger will be looking to prove he is still an integral part of the pack.

20 Billy Vunipola

After an earlier dip in form, the Saracens 8 looks to be back to his best, and will need to be if he’s to fight off the competition for the starting jersey.

21 Danny Care

He hasn’t been completely on song recently, but if the Harlequin can rediscover his best form England’s back line will get some much-needed go-forward.

22 Henry Slade

It seems only a matter of time before this man makes his full England debut, having played against the Barbarians last summer. His versatility allows him to cover fly-half and centre from the bench.

Is now the time for Henry Slade to make his full England debut?

23 Mike Brown

This time last year, Mike Brown seemed undroppable, but he has struggled to reach the incredible heights that saw him named 2014’s man of the series.

Alex Dodd's Wanted XV

15 Mike Brown

Would keep his place partly down to memories of his performance/ form in last year's Six Nations tournament and partly down to Ben Foden's unfortunate injury, received whilst playing for Northampton against Ospreys. Brown at his best is mercurial but hasn't come close to that form since the end of last year's competition. Here's hoping he rediscovers it by the 6th of February.   

14 Anthony Watson

Since getting his first start in the autumn he has as looked at home in an England shirt. Added to which, question marks still remain over Christian Wade's defence. Watson, therefore, gets my vote for the 14 shirt.

13 Jonathan Joseph

Would you really want to question Joseph's inclusion? Watch this and say no more.

 

12 Luther Burrell

Burrell was the find of the tournament for England last year and his bulk and physicality will prove to be a huge asset against Wales's huge power runners in the opening game.

11 Jonny May

His scintillating try against New Zealand in November was arguably the best try scored in an England shirt for some time and shows there really is nothing like out and out pace in order to get defences scarpering. In my mind, May has more than earned his place in the team against Wales.

10 George Ford

Hailed as the England backline's saviour last autumn, after finally getting them firing against Australia, Ford has been pivotal to Bath's flair this season and hopefully can replicate it in the White of England.  

9 Joe Simpson

Sadly Simpson is unlikely to make the squad in what is a hotly contested position for England. His pace however means he'd outgun most outside backs in a footrace and has been in exceptional form, in what has been a renaissance year for Wasps.

8 Billy Vunipola

After taking the number 8 position for the national side by storm, Vunipola is another who, of late, hasn't quite reached the same heights of form. He can count himself incredibly lucky that Ben Morgan's awful injury happened when it did, as he'd almost certainly have lost the starting spot after the autumn tests. That said, his powerful display against Munster last weekend resulting in ‘the man of the match award,’ could not have come at a better time. Fingers crossed he can sustain that kind of ability for the next year.

Billy Vunipola may be set for a recall to the starting XV

7 Chris Robshaw (C)

Robshaw is unlikely to ever catch the headlines like many of his international opposition at openside but few can doubt his commitment in the 7 shirt. Always near the top end of statistics for tackles made and ball carries so expect the same after the final whistle is blown in Cardiff.

6 James Haskell

Being appointed captain for his club side seems to have rejuvenated Haskell's performances. He appears to be playing near his best pre 2011 form. Abrasive, physical and now not afraid to get his hands dirty either, he is likely to be on the bench for the 6th of February but for my mind deserves the starting spot.

5 Geoff Parling

2013 Lion, lineout guru and perhaps the only man in an England shirt who could still hold his head high after the drubbing his countrymen received in the corresponding fixture two years ago. Not a bad replacement for the injured Courtney Lawes.

4 Dave Attwood

Would likely have missed out on a starting spot had Launchberry been fit, but, few can deny that Attwood has been on fire this season. Lancaster can thank his stars at the surplus of talent to draw from in the tight 5 especially given the number of injuries.

3 David Wilson

Solid in the scrum and increasingly useful in the loose, Wilson needs a big game if he's finally going to shake off the stigma of keeping Dan Cole's shirt warm and retain it for himself come the world cup. 

2 Dylan Hartley

Hartley may be fresh from the naughty step, but, for my mind no one has yet proven themselves worthy of the number two shirt and for this reason, he retains it in my team.

Question marks still remain about Dylan Hartley's discipline

1 Joe Marler

Newly appointed Quins captain and ever entertaining in the post-match interviews, Marler has shaken off his frailty in the scrum and is another who seems to grow game by game. For this he retains his shirt even after the return of the man in the 16 jersey.

Reserves 

16 Alex Corbisiero

A welcome return to the test arena, but, he needs a strong performance off the bench to retain his shirt.

17 Dan Cole

2013 Lion and one of World's best when firing. A shoe in.

18 Rob Webber

Really does need a big game if he's to claim the hooker position for himself.

19 George Kruis

In the match day 23, mainly down to the injuries at lock, but, I’m sure he will make a handy replacement for the regulars in the meantime.

20 Steffon Armatige

Another addition unlikely to be included, but, if winning ERC player of the year wasn't enough for Lancaster to invoke the "exceptional circumstances" clause then perhaps scoring a hat-trick at the weekend, combined also with Ben Morgan's untimely injury, he just might get the call-up.

21 Ben Youngs

Another player entrusted with the Captaincy at club level who seems to be finding something near their best form again. Danny Care's dip in performance has allowed a resurgent Young’s back into the frame for international duty.

22 Danny Cipriani

Cipriani would well be starting in my mind if we'd perhaps seen more of him at international level last year. At his best there's no fly half like him in England and he's been a pleasure to watch in a Sale shirt this season. Alas we could be witnessing his last season in the premiership as he's likely to be overlooked yet again by an England management desperate to avoid another 2011 style PR disaster.

With interest from French clubs building, it's now or never for Danny Cipriani

23 Kyle Eastmond,

Quite frankly Eastmond has been outstanding this season and needs to be squeezed into the match day 23 wherever he can be.

Expected Match Day 23

15. Mike Brown, 14. Anthony Watson, 13. Luther Burrell, 12. Brad Barritt, 11. Jonny May, 10. George Ford, 9. Ben Youngs, 8. Billy Vunipola, 7. Chris Robshaw, 6. Tom Wood, 5. Geoff Parling, 4. Dave Attwood, 3. David Wilson, 2. Dylan Hartley, 1. Joe Marler.

Reserves

16. Alex Corbisiero, 17. Dan Cole, 18. Rob Webber, 19. George Kruis, 20. Ben Youngs, 21. Owen Farrell, 22. James Haskell, 23. Marland Yarde.