Aviva Premiership 2014/15 Predictions

It seems like only yesterday that Northampton Saints were crowned champions in front of a Twickenham crowd, but now the Aviva Premiership is upon us once again. Alex Hawksworth-Brookes and Alex Dodd give their thoughts on how the twelve teams in England's top flight can expect to fare in the year building up to the World Cup.

Bath (AD)

Improving fast as a side and had all but made the play-offs last year until a last gasp effort from Quins in the final round of the competition knocked them down into 5^th place. Expect another sterling effort this season from Mike Ford's troops as they look to clean out the trophy cabinet cobwebs after once again spending big during the off season.

 

Players to watch:

NRL superstar Sam Burgess will have all eyes on him when he finely makes the switch of codes in October. If he's to follow in the footsteps of other great league converts such as SBW, Jason Robinson and Izzy Folou in time for the World Cup he'll have to find his feet fast in an already highly contested center berth for both club and country. George Ford on the other hand will look to push forward from an impressive first season with Bath for a chance to impress the England selectors.

Prediction:

Play Off contenders

Exeter chiefs (AHB)

It was a disappointing season last time around for the Devon-based side, who, after two years in the European top flight, missed out on first-tier qualification. Whilst the lack of high-level European action will allow the Chiefs to focus more on their domestic form, a lack of big signings will not help their chances of overcoming their mid-table rivals such as Gloucester and London Wasps.

Players to watch:

England under-20 fly half Henry Slade will be hoping to continue his run of good form and continue to develop into a potential future England stand off, although it will take some massive performances for the youngster to oust incumbent Gareth Steenson from the no 10 jersey. New signing Chrysander Botha will be another one to watch – the Namibian 15 will be hoping to build up some good form before his national side’s appearance at next year’s World Cup.

Prediction:

Safe from relegation, but still in the bottom half of the table. 

Gloucester (AD)

New Coach, new backbone to the squad and a new start for the Kingsholm faithful after last seasons abysmal display that saw them languish at the bottom end of the table. An exciting yet often inconsistent back line marred by a consistently poor forward pack. A plethora of signings with a distinctly Welsh vibe have been brought in to help get the Cherry and Whites back into the top section of the table.

Players to watch:

New recruits James Hook and Richard Hibbard are perhaps the pick of the signings for Gloucester and these two premiership débutantes will look to impose their flare and physicality respectively on the competition.

Prediction:

Mid table

Harlequins (AHB)

It took a last-gasp effort for the South London side to make it into the playoffs last season, and a similar effort will be required if they are to make it again this year. With only two signings made all summer, Director of rugby Conor O'Shea has shown a great deal of confidence in his existing squad. With a number of England players hoping to cement their places in the World Cup squad, Harlequins will be hoping for another top four finish at the very least, but can expect tough competition from the likes of Bath for that last semi-final spot.

Players to watch:

England wing Marland Yarde is one of only two new faces at the Twickenham club, moving from another capital side, London Irish. There will be no better way for him to secure his starting place in the world cup squad than by running in the tries each week for his new club.

Prediction:

Missing out of the playoffs by a whisker.

 

Leicester Tigers (AD)

The East Midland side once again proved they can never be written off after last season's late surge after their injury woes started to relent. You'd almost have to assume they'll end up in the play-offs; Richard Cockerill certainly expects nothing less from his players, who will be gunning for silverware this season.

Players to watch:

Freddie Burns, now behind a dominant Leicester pack, will look to shake off last season’s woes and upgrade his status from England understudy behind Owen Farrell. Only time will tell whether he can find the form that made him such an exciting prospect not so long ago. In the pack it's the return of Tom Croft to the Tiger's back row that will prick the interest of many punters. Once the first name on the England team sheet and twice a Lions tourist the athletic flanker will look to assert himself once again in the England pecking order after a sleuth of injuries.

Prediction: 

Play offs

London Irish (AHB)

It was another disappointing season for Irish, who were just a few defeats away from being right in the midst of the relegation battle. Despite having a host of new training facilities at their disposal, this season is unlikely to be an easy one on the pitch. The loss of star players such as Marland Yarde and James O’Connor will hurt, especially due to their lack of like-for-like replacements. If results against bottom-table rivals Newcastle and London Welsh go the wrong way, it could very easily be Championship rugby next year for London Irish.

Players to watch:

The most notable new faces at the Madejski Stadium are international front rowers Geoff Cross and Tom Court. The Scotland and Ireland props will give London Irish some much-needed power up front, but will that make up for the loss of try-scorer Yarde?

Prediction:

Fighting against relegation.

London Welsh (AD)

Upsetting the Championship favourites Bristol in the final and earning promotion into the big league wasn't something many expected but it's what the exiles achieved last year. Perhaps with the largest recruitment drive out of anyone during the summer they'll manage to stay up longer than the last time they were in the English top flight competition.  

Players to watch:

Ex All black Pirri Weepu is easily the clubs biggest marque signing after leaving Auckland for London. Another player looking to make a career comeback after coming back from a lengthy injury lay off after suffering a minor stroke. His new team as well as any neutral will be hoping this will end up as another rugby miracle if he manages to resurrect the form that saw him lift a World cup Trophy in 2011.

Prediction:

Fighting against relegation

Newcastle Falcons (AHB)

If it hadn’t been for Worcester’s appalling run of form, it could have been Newcastle making a return to the Championship. Granted a life-line by the West-Midlands club, the Falcons will be hoping for a much-improved run this time around, and will be hoping that the completion of a new artificial pitch will help create more try-scoring opportunities.

Players to watch:

Italian lock Josh Furno had an exceptional Six Nations, and the Falcons will be hoping that he can bring his international form to the domestic league. The arrival of Alesana and Anitelea Tuilagi will provide some welcome power to the back line, and could prove to be the big difference at the bottom of the table.

Prediction:

A hard-fought tenth place.

 

Northampton Saints (AD)

So often the budding bridesmaid in the Premiership they now at last have their first title under their belt after an impressive victory in the final against rivals Saracens. They now carry the winners tag around their necks and it will be a hard fight to keep it there.

Players to watch:

If Samu Manoa is anything to go by then the rugby world should be grateful the USA still doesn't have much of an interest outside their own oval ball game. The Herculean lock was at the centre of Saint's abrasive pack last term and will be looking to enforce his physicality once more whether it be in the engine room or off the back of the scrum.

Prediction:

Finalists

 

Sale Sharks (AHB)

After a difficult 2011-2012, Sale began to show signs of returning to good form last year, with fly half Danny Cipriani earning himself an England recall. Having qualified for top-flight European rugby, Steve Diamond’s side will be hoping to go one better, and force their way into the Premiership playoffs. If results against last year’s top four go Sale’s way, then they have a real chance of reaching the knock out stages.

Players to watch:

Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter should prove to be a welcome replacement for the outgoing Dwayne Peel, but it could be former England flanker Magnus Lund who really proves to be the impact signing for the northwesterners.

Prediction:

Sixth.

Saracens (AD)

Forerunners throughout the entire campaign last season ended in heartbreak as defeat in both the Premiership final and the Heineken Cup Final meant their dominance all year counted for nothing. Boasting arguably the strongest club squad outside of France they will look again at conquering the English top flight competition and few teams can deny them that when the aptly named “Wolf pack” are in full flow.

Players to watch:

So many players within the Sarries squad will be desperate to rectify the dip in form at the very last point of the previous season. None more so than Billy Vunipola, whose barnstorming runs that tormented so many would be defenders all year long seemed to unstuck against a certain Armitage brother (no, we don't mean Delon). Then also losing his place in the England 1^st fifteen to Ben Morgan on the New Zealand tour he'll be wanting to start strong before the Autumn internationals roll up. 

Prediction:

Finalists

London Wasps (AHB)

Qualifying for the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup was a real coup for Wasps, and they will be hoping to begin this season with the same flair and intensity that saw them record back-to-back wins against Stade Francais. If they can tighten up their defence and get wingers Tom Varndell and Christian Wade firing, Wasps could be the dark horse of this year’s Premiership.

Players to watch:

Having made a real impact in the first Test against New Zealand this summer, new captain James Haskell will be desperate to put himself in contention for the World Cup. New signing Ruaridh Jackson will be looking to challenge Andy Goode for the ten jersey, and try to reclaim his place as first choice for Scotland in the process.

Prediction:

Potential top-half of the table, but probably seventh again.

To be crowned champions: Northampton Saints

To be relegated to the Championship: London Irish.

 

The State of Play: England going into the Third Test against New Zealand

The series might be won and lost, but this Saturday’s final test between England and New Zealand will be played as if the Hillary Shield was still up for grabs. After falling so short in the first test which they ought to have won, and having a poor performance in the second masked by a flattering scoreline, England will be desperate to leave New Zealand with a win to their name. So, with the match-day squad yet to be announced, here are our thoughts on what England need to do in order to win Saturday’s game in Hamilton.

The Centre Partnership

Two matches, two centre pairings. Will the third test be accompanied by another trial in the midfield, or will Stuart Lancaster opt for one of his already tested combinations? Whilst Billy Twelvetrees and Luther Burrell may be the Six Nations incumbents, their impact in Dunedin was not as large as many England fans had hoped; Twelvetrees made several costly mistakes from hand and boot, whilst Burrell felt anonymous in attack for much of the game. Putting Manu Tuilagi on the wing seemed only to limit England’s attacking options, rather than strengthen them as the coaching staff had hoped.

One thing is for certain; on Saturday, Tuilagi must start at number 13. The sooner the wing experiment is forgotten, the better. What is less certain is who will partner him at twelve. Burrell seems too similar to Tuilagi for such a combination to work; both are physical players best used to smash gaps in the opposition’s defence. That leaves Twelvetrees and Eastmond. Of the two, I would go for Eastmond; he has a dangerous amount of pace and his agility gives him space to exploit that would not be available to other players. Eastmond’s guile and nimbleness should be seen as the perfect complement to Tuilagi’s power and physicality: both players are capable of creating and exploiting space, but in entirely different ways. It is this contrast that will create holes in New Zealand’s defensive line.

The Half-Backs

With Owen Farrell injured and out of contention on Saturday, there is another opportunity for aspirational England fly-halves to stake their claim to the number ten shirt. Danny Cipriani and Stephen Myler both impressed in the match against the Crusaders, whilst Freddie Burns silenced many of his critics in the first test in Auckland. All three will feel that their recent form makes them deserving of the chance.

As much as Cipriani has the potential to set a game alight, Burns will probably start, as he did in the first test, with the Sale ten taking the bench spot. If Eastmond and Tuilagi link up in midfield, the backline could be almost identical to that of two weeks ago. This is no bad thing, although no tries were scored by England, the backs certainly created plenty of chances; if they can take them on Saturday, then they will be half way towards securing a prized test win on New Zealand soil.

Scrum-half is another open area, with Lancaster claiming that Danny Care is 50/50 for the final test, suffering with a recurrence of the shoulder injury that kept him out of the Auckland clash. Whilst Lee Dickson did his cause a lot of good against the Crusaders, he will probably find himself on the bench should Care be declared unfit, with Ben Youngs pulling on the number nine shirt.

The Pack

England’s pack have every right to claim to be one of the best in international rugby, even with the absent Alex Corbosiero, Tom Youngs, and Dan Cole. Third choice hooker Rob Webber did enough to keep incumbent Dylan Hartley on the bench last week, and should do the same for Saturday; if I were Lancaster I would tell each player to give their all for forty minutes, with the substitution occurring at half time. Come autumn, with Tom Youngs back in the picture, I would like to see Rob Webber continue to be picked ahead of him; his reliability at the set piece has been a vital part of England’s success on this tour, an area that Youngs has struggled with in the past.

The second row is another area where competition is rife for places, with Geoff Parling returning to deny Courtney Lawes his starting spot. Parling’s lineout work has been of immense value to England, and it is likely he will start alongside Launchbury for the third time on this tour, with Lawes being left to make a sizeable impact off the bench.

In the back row, Ben Morgan should keep his place alongside Tom Wood and Chris Robshaw, but it would be good to see James Haskell on the bench in place of Billy Vunipola.

Our Squad

So, with the above in mind, here is the team we would like to see walk out on Saturday. Check back once the squad is announced to see how accurate we were in our predictions!

1 Joe Marler

2 Rob Webber

3 David Wilson

4 Joe Launchbury

5 Geoff Parling

6 Chris Robshaw

7 Tom Wood

8 Ben Morgan

9 Ben Youngs

10 Freddie Burns

11 Marland Yarde

12 Kyle Eastmond

13 Manu Tuilagi

14 Chris Ashton

15 Ben Foden

16 Matt Mullan

17 Dylan Hartley

18 Henry Thomas

19 Courtney Lawes

20 James Haskell

21 Danny Care (if fit)

22 Danny Cipriani

23 Mike Brown

Six Nations: Italy V England

England now descend on Rome in the hope of adding to their Triple Crown. But, before we focus our attention on this massively important contest, we must first pay tribute to one of the true greats of the game, a man who needs no introduction, Ireland’s talisman, the proud wearer of the Irish 13 shirt as he ends his international career this weekend in Paris.

    And so, amidst much speculation, we face the final curtain. It is show time for this year’s Six Nations Cup. Will it be Ireland or England, the shamrock or the rose, to lift the trophy? We wait with baited breath to see whose day it will be and why this year, does the tournament seem so special?

                                                                  Who will take the spoils? 

  The retirement of one of Ireland’s greatest gladiators, the undeniable talent and try scoring artisan that is Brian O’Driscoll, has, perhaps, added an extra dimension to a competition which already inspires so much interest, enthusiasm and patriotic zeal. A quick look at the life of Brian immediately highlights why he has become a living legend.

  

  O’ Driscoll has amassed 140 Test caps, 132 for Ireland (83 as captain), and 8 for the British and Irish Lions. During this time he has scored 46 tries for Ireland and 1 try for the Lions in 2001, making him the highest try scorer of all time in Irish Rugby. He is 8th-highest try scorer in rugby union history, and the highest scoring centre of all time. O’Driscoll in fact still holds the Six Nations record for most tries scored with an impressive 26.

    

Whether you like Blarney, Caerphilly, Camembert, Crowdie, Mozzarella or Stilton on your biscuit, you’ll secretly, if not openly, want the Irish outside centre to end his international career with yet another breathtaking performance and memories, as a result, that he and the rest of Ireland can cherish. For those of us with a red rose on our shirts, we too will be wishing Ireland’s number thirteen a magical, memorable swansong, but, not at the expense of Lancaster’s cohorts. No, indeed, Albion’s thoughts, hopes and dreams lie with the men in white, not with the men in green, and the entire nation will be visualising Robshaw lifting the Six Nations trophy, when the final whistle blows.

   

  It’s been said before and it will undoubtedly be said again, that, Stuart Lancaster must surely be kicking himself after Paris. This was the poorest of starts for the English campaign, with the team showing a lack of concentration in the latter stages of the match against the French. It was a bitterly disappointing defeat, which subsequently robbed England of what surely would have been their best chance of a Grand Slam victory since 2003. The Azzurri on the other hand, want to rectify their capitulation of a once promising 2014 campaign by achieving a historic first win over the men in white. All in all, you sense a stern test for the English as they take to the field in Rome and more importantly, needing a decisive win, if they are to overcome Ireland’s imposing point’s advantage.

                                                      Will Lawes continue his dominance in Rome? 

The first game of the closing weekend gives us two teams facing off against each other, whilst in the midst of transition. Indeed, Jacques Brunel has been working hard to alter Italy’s style of play, moving away from simply shutting teams down to actually playing a bit of rugger.  Youngster’s such as Michele Campagnaro and Joshua Furno have heaps of ability and are potential game changers. As a result, many believe this team are due a blinder of a performance soon. The same can also be said of Stuart Lancaster’s England. This team too are in transition, with the Six Nations providing the much needed challenges this still very youthful and inexperienced side required in order to progress. It may well prove to be a turning point in English rugby. A defence that has bruised and battered all opposition for a while now, has finally been coupled with an exciting and dare I say creative offence. Add to that the return of Manu Tuilagi to the bench and you have a side that is finally starting to show the signs of potential greatness that many have been forecasting for some time.

         

  It will be interesting to see how both backlines fair against each other given their joint lack of experience. But, it’s in the pack where the most interesting match ups lie, particularly since England have lost the much improved Joe Marler in the scrum. Marler, an expectant father, is awaiting the imminent arrival of his first child and as such, is unavailable for selection. As a result, in comes Maku Vunipola, who even after travelling with the Lions, has slipped down to third choice for England at loose head.  Often under criticism for his questionable work in the scrum,  Vunipola will face a strong challenge in attempting to nullify his Italian front row opposite. Speaking of which, Italy have been shorn of the imperial Martin Castrogiavanni , meaning that Lorenzo Cittadini steps in to fill the gap at tight head.  Parisse returns to captain the side and can be guaranteed to be at his mercurial best come kick off. His battle against Ben Morgan could be another humdinger.    

                                                                 Mako Vunipola in for Marler.

As second rows go, Joe Launchberry and Courtney Lawes have been the pairing of the tournament and they will certainly be looking to cement their new found partnership in Rome. Italy, however, have also uncovered a gem of their own, in the shape of Joshua Furno. The young lock has, despite his move to the blind side for this game, given Italy some much needed prowess in the line out. Furno, incidentally, also scored a very well taken try against the Scots. A try, which almost won his side the game had it not been for a late Duncan Weir drop goal.

   

  Prediction: Despite the testament of results in this tournament, the Italians have noticeably improved. However, one cannot help but feel that this will not be a day when the history books are rewritten. A confident English outfit look certain to finish the tournament on 8 points. All English fans will be watching this final and crucial game closely. However, one eye I am sure will be focused on the match taking place in Paris. England, it must be said, will want to ensure victory against the Italians first and foremost, meaning that if there is to be flurry of points, it will likely only come in the last quarter. England by 20.

Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Robert Barbieri, 6 Joshua Furno, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Matias Aguero.

Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Alberto de Marchi, 19 George Fabio Biagi, 20 Paul Derbyshire, 21 Edoardo Gori, 22 Tommaso Allan. 23 Andrea Masi.

England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Luther Burrell, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Jonny May, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Danny Care, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 David Wilson, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Mako Vunipola

Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 David Attwood, 20 Tom Johnson, 21 Lee Dickson, 22 George Ford, 23 Manu Tuilagi

Date: Saturday, February 15

Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Kick-off: 14:30 (local, 13:30 GMT)

Referee: Pascal Gauzère (France)

Assistant Referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Leighton Hodges (Wales)

TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)

Article by Alex Dodd

Six Nations: Ireland V France: The Analyst versus the Anarchist

  So this is it, the game that will likely decide the Six Nations, and there could not be two more contrasting teams in it. On one hand we have Ireland, coached by Joe Schmidt, a man renowned for his attention to detail and heavy emphasis on strategy. On the other we have France, headed by Philippe Saint-Andre, famous for his wild selection policies and haphazard game-plans. Where Ireland have cohesion, France have individuality; whilst Ireland have a clear sense of direction, France seem rudderless.

  But how exactly can you plan to outplay a team who so often seem to have no idea even amongst themselves as to what they’re trying to achieve? Ireland assistant coach Les Kiss has mentioned in an interview that a “forensic” examination of the French has revealed “a game plan designed to look shambolic, but that actually offers plenty attacking avenues for their marauding finishers.” This may very well be the case, but analyse anything for long enough and you’ll start to see patterns – even with their fingernails on the Six Nations trophy, this France side have at times played too erratically for their performance to be part of a chaotic strategy. To use a bizarre metaphor, it's like a game of top trumps where one player has every stat memorised, whilst his opponent is merely shuffling wildly and playing whichever card rests on top of his deck

Which coach will be smiling come the final whistle?

  A lot has been said about this French squad, and not a lot of it has been positive either. Pundits from all competing nations have weighed in, describing it as one of the worst French sides in recent years. Jeremy Guscott likened them to a troupe of circus clowns, whilst Jonathan Davies laughed when the possibility of them winning the tournament was put to him on the BBC. Despite what the table says, most people seem to have written France off.

  Still, for all the negativity, there are other rugby clichés that might be applied to Les Bleus; it’s often said that great sides find a way to win, even when they are not playing at their best. That is just what France have done, and they are still in contention because of it. Other phrases – “a win is a win”, “better to win ugly than lose pretty” – also spring to mind, and typify the performance of Philippe Saint-Andre’s side. Shambolic and divided as they have been, they are still on equal points with both England and Ireland, and results are what matter in professional sport – just ask Scotland.

  The contrast in style and approach between these sides is also echoed in some of the players; Brian O’Driscoll’s experience faces off against the exciting young talent that is Gael Fickou in the centres, whilst the fly-half roulette wheel has selected Remi Tales for France, set against the ever-present Jonny Sexton for Ireland. Both sides will be bolstered by the return of their stand-out back-rowers; Peter O’Mahony and Louis Picamoles both start, both on the blindside.

Can Gael Fickou undo another team's Championship hopes? Photo: EPA

  If Irish fans were taking some comfort from France’s far from complete performances, they will be less encouraged by what the history books have to say. Ireland haven’t won in France since 2000, their only victory there in the professional era; every Six Nations after a Lions tour has been won by the French; the last three contests between these sides have seen Ireland score first and lead at half-time, only to be defeated come the final whistle – these are the stats that have been on every pundits lips.

  But the past, as they say, is the past, and Ireland will be eager to write a few new chapters in their history on Saturday; a final cap for world record holder O’Driscoll, and a first victory against France since 2009 – the last time that Ireland lifted the trophy. All of these things may be coincidences, but they make what is already a tantalising match-up into the game of the tournament.

Prediction:

  It is very much Ireland’s game to lose, but they should head to Paris with confidence from their past performances. Despite what has been said about France, they will want to win in front of a demanding home crowd. For the second time this year, the Stade de France should be the place of English heartbreak – Ireland to win game and Championship, but only by seven points.

SQUADS

France: 15-Brice Dulin, 14-Yoann Huget, 13-Mathieu Bastareaud, 12-Gael Fickou, 11-Maxime Medard, 10-Remi Tales, 9-Maxime Machenaud; 1-Thomas Domingo, 2-Dimitri Szarzewski, 3-Nicolas Mas, 4-Pascal Pape (c), 5-Yoann Maestri, 6-Louis Picamoles, 7-Alexandre Lapandry, 8-Damien Chouly

Replacements: 16-Guilhem Guirado, 17-Vincent Debaty, 18-Rabah Slimani, 19-Alexandre Flanquart; 20-Sébastien Vahaamahina, 21-Wenceslas Lauret, 22-Jean Marc Doussain; 23-Maxime Mermoz

Ireland: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Andrew Trimble, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Gordon D'Arcy, 11-Dave Kearney, 10-Jonny Sexton, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best, 3-Mike Ross, 4-Devin Toner, 5-Paul O'Connell (c), 6-Peter O'Mahony, 7-Chris Henry, 8-Jamie Heaslip

Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Jack McGrath, 18-Martin Moore, 19-Iain Henderson, 20-Jordi Murphy, 21-Eoin Reddan, 22-Ian Madigan, 23-Fergus McFadden

Date: Saturday, March 15

Kick-off: 17:00 GMT

Venue: Stade de France, Paris

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England) & Marius Mitrea (Romania)

TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)

Article by Alex Hawksworth-Brookes

SIX NATIONS: ENGLAND V WALES MATCH PREVIEW

   Nearly a year on from what was a thoroughly one sided affair in Cardiff, rugby union's biggest European rivalry is set to write its latest chapter. Since their first fixture in 1881, right up to last year, when a mercurial Wales racked up a 30-3 victory against a rudderless England, these two sides have gone into battle 124 times. Twelve of these historic contests being drawn, means that both teams now sit on 56 wins each. Where will the balance of power tip after Sunday’s game?

    Looking ahead and being just one year away from the start of the world cup, a cup where these two share a pool in the group stages, you can't help but put a great deal of importance on this result. A win for Wales and they'll have their fourth consecutive win over the men in white, a huge psychological advantage if ever there was one.  A win for the English, however, a team currently under strength, who many would say are still on an upwards trajectory yet to reach their peak, would deal a serious blow to the mindset of their foes across the Severn Bridge. The Welsh do not take kindly to defeat by any English team and still less to an England squad which has yet to reach its potential.

      

      Using the previous three rounds as a gauge to predict a victory for this Sunday’s skirmish is a tough ask for anyone. In round one, England started their championship poorly and were just beaten in the dying moments, as France's rising star Gaël Fickou, crossed over the white line to score and in turn win the game for les Bleus. Round three then saw a resurgent Wales absolutely steamroll the French in what was easily their most impressive win thus far in this year's tournament. A win, incidentally, which came straight after a complete drubbing at the hands of the Irish. Ireland’s game plan totally shut down the men in red who suffered a comprehensive work over by their opponents in green. One round later, this same Irish team travelled to Twickenham only to come up short of victory, thanks to a try from England’s Danny Care.

Who will history favour? Image: RFU

     One area that does separate the two teams, however, is the number of personnel each currently has inhabiting the medics table. Whereas Wales have a near fully fit squad with the return of Alun Wyn Jones in the pack and Jonathan Davies in the backline, an impressive 12 lions in the starting 15, England are without 4 lions due to injury problems. Add to this a lack of game time for the incoming replacements and one cannot help but wonder if these problems could perhaps swings the result in favour of the Welsh.

  Arguably, the biggest worry for the hosts is the loss of one man - the one man wrecking ball that is Billy Vunipola. An ankle injury sustained against Ireland will keep him out of Sunday’s crucial game. Robbed of a showdown against his cousin and Wales's own Taulupe Faletau, the young number 8 has been England's top ball carrier so far in this tournament and has provided them with their main source of go forward ball. Ben Morgan, however, is as good a like for like replacement as Stuart Lancaster can hope for and the Yorkshire man will be hoping the Gloucester back rower is back to his best come kick off.

     

     Last year's 30-3 result in Cardiff possibly lost Chris Robshaw his Lion's jersey and in turn cemented Sam Warburton's selection. The tussle between these two captains is without doubt, the pick of the ‘one on one’ battles in the forward pack and depending on which one gains the ascendancy at the break down, may well dictate which way the final score could swing. However, the match up every spectator will want to witness will be the fight between the two fullbacks Leigh Halfpenny and Mike Brown. Halfpenny, last year's player of the tournament and this year's current favourite for that accolade, is certain to create some fireworks, with scything runs on the counter attack. Both players are more than capable of using their superb attacking skills if either side should slip up and deliver a loose kick putting these two into space.

  

Prediction:   

  This fixture presents a rivalry that has delivered drama almost every time these two have met. Sunday’s battle looks certain to continue the trend. Take your eyes away from the game for a second at your own peril! These two teams will be fighting for all they are worth to make it 57 wins over their opponents 56. Many may look to a Welsh victory, especially after their routing of France in the previous week, whilst England managed only a narrow defeat of Ireland. But, adding a wary insight into those results, let’s not forgot how dire Philippe Saint-André's men really were. Bear in mind also, how strong Joe Schmidt's charges look currently. The championship is still very much Ireland's to lose. England by 4.

SQUADS

England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Luther Burrell, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Jonny May, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Danny Care, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 David Wilson, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Joe Marler.

Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 David Attwood, 20 Tom Johnson, 21 Lee Dickson, 22 George Ford, 23 Alex Goode

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

Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Andrew Coombs, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Dan Biggar, 23 Liam Williams

Date: Sunday 9th March

Venue: Twickenham

Kick-off: 15:00 (GMT)

Referee: Romain Poite (Fra)

Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Aus), Lourens van der Merwe (RSA)

TMO: Simon McDowell (Ire)

Article By Alex Dodd

Six Nations: Scotland V France: The Battle of the Bonkers Coaches

  Even if the Mad Hatter was put in charge of a rugby team, he would probably bring more decipherable strategy and reasoned selection than the coaches of the two teams meeting in Edinburgh this Saturday. In fact, seldom has there been a match where there has been more focus on the men off the pitch than those playing on it, but the curious selection policies of both Scott Johnson and Philippe Saint-Andre mean that both coaches have come under intense media scrutiny in the build up to this game.

  The game takes place within a context that few would have thought possible several weeks ago; France, having been talked up as potential favourites, have been all but written-off by most after a dismal capitulation against Wales, whilst Scotland, so hopeful after placing 3^rd in 2013, had scored only 6 points all championship before a spirited last-gasp victory over Italy, and are now hunting a second European scalp in an attempt to salvage something from this Six Nations. When the Gallic Rooster takes to the field against the Gaelic Thistle of Scotland on Saturday, both teams will be desperate for a result.

  Despite that ignominious loss in Cardiff two weeks ago, France can still win the Six Nations, a fact that Saint-Andre will no doubt have reminded his squad of. Whilst many pundits have discarded France from their thoughts, this is Les Bleus we’re talking about, and if history has taught us anything, it is that this is a side that can be as dangerous one week as they were inept the last. Should France manage a win at Murrayfield, then next week’s final showdown in Paris could still be the tournament decider, a thought that is both bizarre and scintillating.

Alex Dunbar will be hoping to repeat his two-try haul against Italy

  For that to happen though, there is a thorny Scottish hurdle to be jumped, and the French could not be in worse shape to face it. A back-row that was already weakened by the loss of Thierry Dusautoir before the tournament even began has been completely remodelled, with Yannick Nyanga forced out through injury and Louis Picamoles dropped for disrespecting the referee in Cardiff, a brave decision by Saint-Andre considering the circumstances. Wesley Fofana is also missing from the midfield, meaning that Les Bleus will be without three of their game-winning players for this critical encounter.

  Other changes, both forced and strategic, have been made; Brice Mach comes in for the injured Dimitri Szarzewski, with Alexandre Lapandry, Maxime Machenaud and Maxime Medard all coming into the side as Saint-Andre’s selection roulette wheel continues to spin. So many changes can only be damaging for a team whose confidence already appears to be shattered.

  Scott Johnson is another man who has been playing Russian roulette with a rugby ball; Kelly Brown, so recently jettisoned from the helm and squad altogether, returns to reclaim his starting place and captain’s armband, apparently because, amongst other reasons, his style of play will suit the Murrayfield turf…

  David Denton is also restored to the starting line-up, with Johnnie Beattie accommodatingly moving over to 6. Whilst these changes will doubtless affect the balance of the back-row, Denton has been one of Scotland’s stand-out players this Spring, and his inclusion indicates that Scotland will be hoping to take advantage of France’s weakness in this area.

  Geoff Cross coming into the front-row is the only other change in this Scotland side – if such consistency of selection can be sustained, then there is hope that the squad can begin to develop. For all of Scott Johnson’s talk of finding out about players and testing combinations, there is only so much time that can be given over to experimentation, especially when said experiments continue to blow up in the scientist’s face.

Prediction:

  It’s hard to know which way to go with these two teams; both are as unpredictable and frustrating as the other, showing equal amounts of promise and panic in their play. However, Scotland have been showing signs of improvement, whilst France seem to be caught in something of a downward spiral, a situation that key omissions won’t have aided. Add into this mix the Murrayfield crowd, and I believe that, so long as they can get off to a good start, Scotland will be able to see the game out, breaking apart France’s championship hopes as they salvage their own rugby reputation. Scotland to win by 7 points.

SQUADS:

Scotland: 15-Stuart Hogg, 14-Tommy Seymour, 13-Alex Dunbar, 12-Matt Scott, 11-Sean Lamont, 10-Duncan Weir, 9-Greig Laidlaw; 1-Ryan Grant, 2-Scott Lawson, 3-Geoff Cross, 4-Richie Gray, 5-Jim Hamilton, 6-Johnnie Beattie, 7-Kelly Brown (c), 8-David Denton

Replacements: 16-Ross Ford, 17-Moray Low, 18-Euan Murray, 19-Tim Swinson, 20-Ryan Wilson, 21-Chris Cusiter, 22-Duncan Taylor, 23-Max Evans

France: 15-Brice Dulin, 14-Yoann Huget, 13-Mathieu Bastareaud, 12-Maxime Mermoz, 11-Maxime Medard, 10-Jules Plisson, 9-Maxime Machenaud; 1-Thomas Domingo, 2-Brice Mach, 3-Nicolas Mas, 4-Pascal Pape (c), 5-Yoann Maestri, 6-Sebastien Vahaamahina, 7-Alexandre Lapandry, 8-Damien Chouly

Replacements: 16-Guilhem Guirado, 17-Vincent Debaty, 18-Rabah Slimani, 19-Alexandre Flanquart, 20-Antonie Claassen, 21-Jean-Marc Doussain, 22-Remi Tales, 23-Gael Fickou

Date: Saturday, March 8

Kick-off: 17:00 GMT

Venue: Murrayfield Stadium, Cardiff

Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

Touch judges: George Clancy (Ireland) & JP Doyle (England)

TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)

Article by Alex Hawksworth-Brookes