England v Wales

[Numbers]

Team:

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; Josh Adams, Scott Williams, Hadleigh Parkes, Steff Evans; Rhys Patchell, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Samson Lee; Cory Hill, Alun Wyn Jones; Aaron Shingler, Josh Navidi, Ross Moriarty.

Reps: Elliot Dee, Wyn Jones, Tomas Francis, Bradley Davies, Justin Tipuric, Aled Davies, Gareth Anscombe, George North.

Good to see it unchanged other than North in for Watkin on the bench.

[normanski]

Yes a good vote of confidence in a winning side. If North is coming back into form then it makes sense to put him on the bench as an impact sub or as they say in England as a finisher to win the game with a 79th minute try!

[MrK]

Happy with that...North on the bench instead of Watkins makes sense ... bring on Saturday

If England pick the same pack as last week , we have a chance.. a slim one, but a chance.

If England make changes to the backrow it may be a different story - a Robshaw/Underhill/Simmonds back row would be much more of a counter balance to us than Lawes/Robshaw/Simmonds

I also hope as many of my English pals fear, that they start with Wigglesworth and keep Teo.

Care and Joseph offer much more of an open threat (in my opinion)

[Digby]

Would should we be looking at Cory Hill delivering on Saturday?

[francoisfou]

Would should we be looking at Cory Hill delivering on Saturday?

My morning paper! Taxi!!!!

[Zhivago]

We had more clean breaks than England...

[Son of Mathonwy]

Fair call. It's working, so let's not go tinkering with it too much.

[Sandydragon]

Would should we be looking at Cory Hill delivering on Saturday?

If he plays like last weekend then I’ve got no complaints.

Good selection, tinkering with the team makes no sense given last weeks result and players returning from injury dint need to be rushed back in. North on the bench offers greater impact than Watkin though.

[Mikey Brown]

Very curious how this one goes. Can you pressure England on to the same kind of mistakes?

[Digby]

Would should we be looking at Cory Hill delivering on Saturday?

If he plays like last weekend then I’ve got no complaints.

Good selection, tinkering with the team makes no sense given last weeks result and players returning from injury dint need to be rushed back in. North on the bench offers greater impact than Watkin though.

What are his strengths, I don't know much about him.

[Sandydragon]

Would should we be looking at Cory Hill delivering on Saturday?

If he plays like last weekend then I’ve got no complaints.

Good selection, tinkering with the team makes no sense given last weeks result and players returning from injury dint need to be rushed back in. North on the bench offers greater impact than Watkin though.

What are his strengths, I don't know much about him.

Solid in core areas. High work rate and get through a lot of work, especially in defence. As we saw last Saturday also has a nice pop pass.

When he was first picked I had my doubts and to be fair there are more outstanding locks in the game. But he is solid and Gatland likes his work rate. I have a feeling that he is filling a space pending one of our younger locks stepping up.

[normanski]

If he plays like last weekend then I’ve got no complaints.

Good selection, tinkering with the team makes no sense given last weeks result and players returning from injury dint need to be rushed back in. North on the bench offers greater impact than Watkin though.

What are his strengths, I don't know much about him.

Solid in core areas. High work rate and get through a lot of work, especially in defence. As we saw last Saturday also has a nice pop pass.

When he was first picked I had my doubts and to be fair there are more outstanding locks in the game. But he is solid and Gatland likes his work rate. I have a feeling that he is filling a space pending one of our younger locks stepping up.

I think Gatland also likes him because he is an on-pitch leader and for a 24 year old lock that’s rare. He captains the Dragons as well.

[ALunpg]

What are his strengths, I don't know much about him.

Solid in core areas. High work rate and get through a lot of work, especially in defence. As we saw last Saturday also has a nice pop pass.


When he was first picked I had my doubts and to be fair there are more outstanding locks in the game. But he is solid and Gatland likes his work rate. I have a feeling that he is filling a space pending one of our younger locks stepping up.

I think Gatland also likes him because he is an on-pitch leader and for a 24 year old lock that’s rare. He captains then Dragons as well.

I thought the original question was a bit of BOD creeping in
He certainly was not a lot of people's first choice but if Charteris is not being selected then Wales have a pool of 6 second rows who have played recently AWJ and Jake Ball being the most probable first choices. In the coaches list they are followed by Cory Hill, Seb Davies , Bradley Davies , Adam Beard .

They all can do a job but Hill seems to tick more boxes for the coaches more than the others on offer.

He is one if those players that never gets a lot of the limelight but is athletic and has shown he can handle the ball but as yet for me he needs a tad more grunt about him but he gets his job done and is starting to be a pain in the ass to the opposition which is a good measure of improvement for a lock.

For me Seb Davies who is coming back from injury seems the one with the biggest potential and may get a run out in the Italy or French matches.

It will certainly should be good to watch with Hill starting as it will let us see if he is the real deal and with Brad Davies on the bench is in top form we should be competitive.

[ALunpg]

So no major unexpected changes on the England side .
Care starts with Wigglesworth on the bench and Joseph starts in place of Teo who drops to the bench.

[normanski]

So no major unexpected changes on the England side .
Care starts with Wigglesworth on the bench and Joseph starts in place of Teo who drops to the bench.

As predicted by Gatland!

It looks a strong settled side. I just hope we can stop them in their tracks, slow their ball down and get quick release on ours.

Very difficult to predict the outcome and may be too close to call.

[ALunpg]

So no major unexpected changes on the England side .
Care starts with Wigglesworth on the bench and Joseph starts in place of Teo who drops to the bench.

As predicted by Gatland!

It looks a strong settled side. I just hope we can stop them in their tracks, slow their ball down and get quick release on ours.

Very difficult to predict the outcome and may be too close to call.

The problem defensively may come from on how we execute it and stay on the right side of the officials.

[normanski]

So no major unexpected changes on the England side .
Care starts with Wigglesworth on the bench and Joseph starts in place of Teo who drops to the bench.

As predicted by Gatland!

It looks a strong settled side. I just hope we can stop them in their tracks, slow their ball down and get quick release on ours.

Very difficult to predict the outcome and may be too close to call.

The problem defensively may come from on how we execute it and stay on the right side of the officials.

Well Big Ed has just upped the ante with his silly attacks on Patchell and AWJ.

By bringing in the referee into the AWJ equation might well backfire on England because Garces might interpret as trying to influence him.

Let’s hope that if the game is decided by penalties then it’s Halfpenny who gives us the last laugh.

[welshsaint]

The man is a second rate Mourhino. Both lack class.

[Numbers]

As predicted by Gatland!

It looks a strong settled side. I just hope we can stop them in their tracks, slow their ball down and get quick release on ours.

Very difficult to predict the outcome and may be too close to call.

The problem defensively may come from on how we execute it and stay on the right side of the officials.

Well Big Ed has just upped the ante with his silly attacks on Patchell and AWJ.

By bringing in the referee into the AWJ equation might well backfire on England because Garces might interpret as trying to influence him.

Let’s hope that if the game is decided by penalties then it’s Halfpenny who gives us the last laugh.

Yeah, Paul Grayson was on 5 live earlier saying Jones was out of order, I would say it shows that he is worried.

Any predictions for the match?

[normanski]

The problem defensively may come from on how we execute it and stay on the right side of the officials.

Well Big Ed has just upped the ante with his silly attacks on Patchell and AWJ.

By bringing in the referee into the AWJ equation might well backfire on England because Garces might interpret as trying to influence him.

Let’s hope that if the game is decided by penalties then it’s Halfpenny who gives us the last laugh.

Yeah, Paul Grayson was on 5 live earlier saying Jones was out of order, I would say it shows that he is worried.

Any predictions for the match?

We really are into unknown territory with this game. With so many frontline first choice players out we’ve had to bring in some inexperienced but talented newbies. Some would see that as a disadvantage but it wasn’t the case against Scotland and the boys came together as a powerful team to blow the Jocks away.

Predicting the outcome would have been easier if we had all the old hands in the mix so I just don’t know what the final score will be.

If we can have a strong first twenty minutes and get into our stride then my heart says we’ll win by six points- the difference being Halfpenny’s imperious kicking. I hope I’m right.

[normanski]

The problem defensively may come from on how we execute it and stay on the right side of the officials.

Well Big Ed has just upped the ante with his silly attacks on Patchell and AWJ.

By bringing in the referee into the AWJ equation might well backfire on England because Garces might interpret as trying to influence him.

Let’s hope that if the game is decided by penalties then it’s Halfpenny who gives us the last laugh.

Yeah, Paul Grayson was on 5 live earlier saying Jones was out of order, I would say it shows that he is worried.

Any predictions for the match?

We really are into unknown territory with this game. With so many frontline first choice players out we’ve had to bring in some inexperienced but talented newbies. Some would see that as a disadvantage but it wasn’t the case against Scotland and the boys came together as a powerful team to blow the Jocks away.

Predicting the outcome would have been easier if we had all the old hands in the mix so I just don’t know what the final score will be.

If we can have a strong first twenty minutes and get into our stride then my heart says we’ll win by six points- the difference being Halfpenny’s imperious kicking. I hope I’m right.

[Numbers]

Well Big Ed has just upped the ante with his silly attacks on Patchell and AWJ.

By bringing in the referee into the AWJ equation might well backfire on England because Garces might interpret as trying to influence him.

Let’s hope that if the game is decided by penalties then it’s Halfpenny who gives us the last laugh.

Yeah, Paul Grayson was on 5 live earlier saying Jones was out of order, I would say it shows that he is worried.

Any predictions for the match?

We really are into unknown territory with this game. With so many frontline first choice players out we’ve had to bring in some inexperienced but talented newbies. Some would see that as a disadvantage but it wasn’t the case against Scotland and the boys came together as a powerful team to blow the Jocks away.

Predicting the outcome would have been easier if we had all the old hands in the mix so I just don’t know what the final score will be.

If we can have a strong first twenty minutes and get into our stride then my heart says we’ll win by six points- the difference being Halfpenny’s imperious kicking. I hope I’m right.

Aye, it's a tricky one, I think your point about the first 20 is quite pertinent, if we can take the lead and silence the crowd a bit then I think we could edge this one.

[kk67]

As predicted by Gatland!

It looks a strong settled side. I just hope we can stop them in their tracks, slow their ball down and get quick release on ours.

Very difficult to predict the outcome and may be too close to call.

The problem defensively may come from on how we execute it and stay on the right side of the officials.

Well Big Ed has just upped the ante with his silly attacks on Patchell and AWJ.

By bringing in the referee into the AWJ equation might well backfire on England because Garces might interpret as trying to influence him.

Let’s hope that if the game is decided by penalties then it’s Halfpenny who gives us the last laugh.

Garces is quality. As good as Nigel. This has the makings of a cracker. Gonna risk watching at the club.

[Son of Mathonwy]

England have to be favourites with their form over the last couple of years, and home advantage. BUT after Scotland anything is possible, and our team has no fear of England or Twickenham. I don't know if the scoreline will be close, but the result is hard to call. Heart says one thing, don't know what my head says.

Let's do it.

[normanski]

The problem defensively may come from on how we execute it and stay on the right side of the officials.

Well Big Ed has just upped the ante with his silly attacks on Patchell and AWJ.

By bringing in the referee into the AWJ equation might well backfire on England because Garces might interpret as trying to influence him.

Let’s hope that if the game is decided by penalties then it’s Halfpenny who gives us the last laugh.

Garces is quality. As good as Nigel. This has the makings of a cracker. Gonna risk watching at the club.

He’s quite hot on front row misdemeanours as well, so hopefully he will take a close look at Cole and his boring-in technique. Two penalties and a yellow card warning could help our cause enormously.