RugbyRebels

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 30, 2026 8:31 am

normanski wrote: ↑Thu Jan 29, 2026 2:36 pm I think about the only thing we could have going for us at Twickenham is England over-confidence. They’re already being talked up as the next World Cup winners and most pundits have them down to win the 6N. We’re on for a thrashing just like the Springbok game in the autumn.

Can we upset their apple cart? Highly unlikely but if they get it into their heads that they’re going to win by a big margin, white line fever might just cause them to make mistakes and keep the scores close.

Hey-ho, hope springs eternal!

It'll be like Gatland's first game with Wales all over again, England at Twickers.

I hope

Yes, that was an incredible game!

Eddie Butler: ‘Wales, what are you doing?’

It was quite a turn round after lean years with only Ruddock’s championship win to lighten the gloom. And to do it at Twickenham was so uplifting.

Could history repeat itself? We can only hope.

Pack will be critical. (starters and bench)

Carre, Lake, Francis. Jenkins. Davies. Wainwright. McLeod. Cracknell.
B: Elias. Smith. Griffin. Thomas. Botham

I actually think theres enough nous and bite there to at least not get blasted at every contact. McLeod there to slow down their Ball. Botham as cover on the Bench as he is a nuisance at ruck time, and both can score. I just cant bring myself to select Beard.

Backs. We dont have the centres to cut teams open, so I think we need to play to (relative) strengths.

LRZ, Meh?, James, Watkin, Grady, Edwards, Williams
B: Hardy, Thomas, Meh?

Williams and Edwards will get the nod at 9
Im with those that think Watkin and James will start, Im ok with route 1 in our own attack, neither are now what you would call specialist so Id actually go old school left and right with these 2, I think defence will be adequate, and if we can get some good first contact and offload we may make some ground.
The back 3 will get more time on the ball, not from our phase play because we havent got the centres to distribute it, but from kick return and any turnovers we might win.. So for that reason I would go LRZ at FB, Grady on one wing and pick one from Mee/H-Webb/Rogers and Adams on the other, Im actually not that bothered about which one.

On the Bench - Thomas is a good option as covers several positions and has shown some return to form, Hawkins has size but lacks the ambition IMO. The last bench spot, again with Grady and Thomas able to cover Centre, a winger/FB is needed so Murray comes back into the equation (but he would not be a starter)

It’s crucial we aren’t blown away in our first game. England will want to put down a big marker in their first game and are rightly strong favourites.

Watkin is limited in attack, but he is our best defender and our backline looks more solid with him there. James deserves a chance. He’s a physical player and has been in decent form, plus he’s more than just a lump.

Since we don’t have a Henson type player who is strong everywhere, we probably need to start physical and strong without the ball and then look to bring on more creative players later in the game.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Wed Feb 04, 2026 12:48 pm It’s crucial we aren’t blown away in our first game. England will want to put down a big marker in their first game and are rightly strong favourites.

Watkin is limited in attack, but he is our best defender and our backline looks more solid with him there. James deserves a chance. He’s a physical player and has been in decent form, plus he’s more than just a lump.

Since we don’t have a Henson type player who is strong everywhere, we probably need to start physical and strong without the ball and then look to bring on more creative players later in the game.

It worries me that we’ll make a simple mistake defending a breakdown in our 22 and England will capitalise and score an early try leading to the floodgates opening.

Some of our defending around breakdowns has been poor in recent years and one has to hope Tandy and Co have worked hard on this.

We really need to step up our performance for this opener.

We need to improve our lineout. Not just Lake's unreliable throws either - we just don't compete. In the whole Autumn series we won 0% of opponents' lineouts. It's just not acceptable.

Here it is:
Wales: Rees-Zammit; Mee, James, B Thomas, Adams; Edwards, T Williams; Smith, Lake (capt), Griffin, Jenkins, Beard, Mann, Macleod, Wainwright.

Replacements: Belcher, Carre, Francis, Carter, Plumtree, Deaves, Hardy, Grady.

Delighted for macleod

I was hoping for a bulkier blindside and inside centre. That10/12 channel is going to be targeted all afternoon.

Not too bad a team, although I'd do quite a few things differently.

Not much in it but I'd start Carre and bench Smith.
Start Elias and bench Lake (no room for Belcher).
Cracknell and Deaves at 6 & 7.
Hawkins at 12 (although I accept he's a defensive risk ).
Grady instead of Adams.
Rhys Davies instead of Carter at 19.
Mann at 20.
5:3 split with Hardy 21, Jarrod Evans 22, Rogers 23.

Surprised there's no Cracknell.

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 4:17 pm Not too bad a team, although I'd do quite a few things differently.

Not much in it but I'd start Carre and bench Smith.
Start Elias and bench Lake (no room for Belcher).
Cracknell and Deaves at 6 & 7.
Hawkins at 12 (although I accept he's a defensive risk ).
Grady instead of Adams.
Rhys Davies instead of Carter at 19.
Mann at 20.
5:3 split with Hardy 21, Jarrod Evans 22, Rogers 23.

Surprised there's no Cracknell.

Isn’t Cracknell injured?

According to scrumV Cracknell has hardly trained all week so I suspect he’s just not fit. Sadly.

I hope Deaves proves me wrong, but I can’t see him getting much joy on Saturday. It doesn’t feel like the right game for him.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 7:30 pm I hope Deaves proves me wrong, but I can’t see him getting much joy on Saturday. It doesn’t feel like the right game for him.

Yes. If we were winning going into the last 20-25 mins then Deaves makes some sense. We won't, so it doesn't. We will need power to stem the pom squad incoming tide.

normanski wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 6:51 pm

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 4:17 pm Not too bad a team, although I'd do quite a few things differently.

Not much in it but I'd start Carre and bench Smith.
Start Elias and bench Lake (no room for Belcher).
Cracknell and Deaves at 6 & 7.
Hawkins at 12 (although I accept he's a defensive risk ).
Grady instead of Adams.
Rhys Davies instead of Carter at 19.
Mann at 20.
5:3 split with Hardy 21, Jarrod Evans 22, Rogers 23.

Surprised there's no Cracknell.

Isn’t Cracknell injured?

Probably
Botham at 6? Don't really trust Plumtree but maybe him to get the bulk. Or Rhys Davies.

Here we go!

Not the greatest start.

Good chase by Mee.

Leaking oenalties. Bit ominous

Oh ffs. We need to urgently improve discipline. Silly istakes are gifting territory

Yellow card time I think.

We’re getting on the wrong side of the ref.

Thanks ref. Heaven help us for the next 10.

Ah that's a total over reaction from ref

You couldnt have planned a worse start than this. England just have to do the basics and Wales fuck it up.

But yes, the ref has clearly decided we can do nothing but infringe.

Gifting England an armchair ride.

Discipline is shite.