• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

2014 6 Nations: England vs Wales (Round 4)

What's the predictions from both sets of fans then ?

My heart says something like 20-15 England my head says the opposite
 
Just to clarify my tongue was so far in my cheek when I posted that it kind of hurts now...

Yes I would really love for a reversal of last years score line. Aside from the awesome points difference it would also make up for 2013 when I was say with all of the taffs in my rugby club watching the game. The humiliation was almost too much.

Think it's going to be a 5/7 point game. I'm hoping England's way.
 
Very true! I'd feel much happier running the risk of having a slightly under cooked Davies rather than North having to defend 13 again and Liam Williams putting cheapshots in...

Yeah - I mean even if Davies is a bit undercooked, all it'll likely mean is he'll be puffing hard come 70 minutes, and perhaps because opf his lack of game time his positioning and timings might be 10% out. He'll still make the right decisions.

Whereas if North continues to play at 13, he'll make more wrong decisions and his positioning is likely to be out by default anyway.

Famous last words but I'd be delighted to see North at 13. I don't feel he's able to play to his strengths there and we have the means to counter his physicality in midfield.


Just to clarify my tongue was so far in my cheek when I posted that it kind of hurts now...

Yes I would really love for a reversal of last years score line. Aside from the awesome points difference it would also make up for 2013 when I was say with all of the taffs in my rugby club watching the game. The humiliation was almost too much.

Think it's going to be a 5/7 point game. I'm hoping England's way.

Never! :p
 
I've been a bit out of the loop on the Welsh squad this year.

Taffs, does it look like North will start at 13 and who will your locks be?
 
I've been a bit out of the loop on the Welsh squad this year.

Taffs, does it look like North will start at 13 and who will your locks be?
Possibly Jonathan Davies, he played for the Turks v Munster. It's better than having North out of position and Liam Williams on the wing. AWJ likely to be recalled, probably will partner Charteris with Ball providing bench cover. I like Ball, but he isn't an international starter yet. Should be a great person to bring on after the hour.

I would expect something like this: Halfpenny, Cuthbert, Davies, Roberts, North, Priestland, Webb; Jenkins, Hibbard, JonesAR, JonesAW, Charteris, Lydiate, Warburton, Faletau; Owens, James, JonesR, Ball, Tipuric, Phillips, Hook, Williams.
 
Last edited:
Haha thanks although I'm not sure my nerves can take it !

could you imagine the scenario though. England lead 30-3 at halftime, game over. And then, oh no, what ? Wales mounting the greatest comeback in 6N history ? What ? Goodness what's happening ?! England still hasn't scored in the second half and Wales are just points away. OMG omg....!!
...
Eh...one point short. Too bad. 30-29 final...
I dunno, the thought itself is hilarious. :p
 
could you imagine the scenario though. England lead 30-3 at halftime, game over. And then, oh no, what ? Wales mounting the greatest comeback in 6N history ? What ? Goodness what's happening ?! England still hasn't scored in the second half and Wales are just points away. OMG omg....!!
...
Eh...one point short. Too bad. 30-29 final...
I dunno, the thought itself is hilarious. :p

That would be funny ! All the ecstasy then the horror then the relief haha
 
So Wales have brought Davies and Wyn-Jones straight back in as anticipated, with North switching back to his wing, and Williams and Ball to the bench.

This is going to be a huge. I know it's hardly a scientific way to look at it but England have at least one bad game every tournament and we haven't got it out of our system yet. Our team machinery, by which I mean the partnerships, are looking good but are not assured or complete enough to control against things just misfiring on the day.

More to the point though, I don't see how we can win without achieving parity in the scrum, and I don't think we will achieve parity in that area. Ireland were good there but not enough to take advantage of our weaknesses. We've got Poite on the whistle and he will blow it all day long at scrum time.
 
True. England do have that one bad game in them every year...they're kind of the inverse of Italy :p

Last year's I'd say was the one hosting Italy. Yes they had a (historically) tough time in Cardiff but they weren't playing awful - Wales were playing out of their minds. Their level was much lower against Italy, esp. given it was at Twickenham.
The previous year (2012) was probably the one in Rome as well.

I'm still keeping reasonable hope Italy will beat England on the last weekend as far-fetched as it sounds.
But there's no way this one will be England's "bad game" of the tournament. They're millions of miles too hungry - starving - and there's no way they won't show up, or cling on like crazies if they find themselves trailing. Impossible.

So the scrum will be a problem, England have plenty of quality elsewhere.

But I know what you're doing Henry. You're singling out all the possible flaws and bad scenarios for England, displaying them here; it's therapeutic. That way when England win, oh well what do you know ?! :p
You "don't see how England can win without achieving parity in the scrum", really ?? So England are bound to lose because of...the scrum huh ? England are doomed....they're DOOMED !!!!
 
There's always a bit of that, definitely, especially among England fans!

On the other hand, It's what I think; I would predict Wales by 5 or something along such lines.

As for the scrum; I think most people on here would agree that in a really tight game between similarly-matched teams, you're unlikely to win without stable set-piece. Ok so maybe not parity exactly, but if we continue to lose ball on our own feed as against Ireland, I think we'll lose.
 
There's always a bit of that, definitely, especially among England fans!

On the other hand, It's what I think; I would predict Wales by 5 or something along such lines.

As for the scrum; I think most people on here would agree that in a really tight game between similarly-matched teams, you're unlikely to win without stable set-piece. Ok so maybe not parity exactly, but if we continue to lose ball on our own feed as against Ireland, I think we'll lose.

Maybe our superior line out might make up for a weaker scrum . However I think Wilson is a great scrummager and has some time under his belt now . Marler is a better scrummager than last year and Hartley imo is a better scrummager than youngs so we might be better off this year
 
There's always a bit of that, definitely, especially among England fans!

On the other hand, It's what I think; I would predict Wales by 5 or something along such lines.

As for the scrum; I think most people on here would agree that in a really tight game between similarly-matched teams, you're unlikely to win without stable set-piece. Ok so maybe not parity exactly, but if we continue to lose ball on our own feed as against Ireland, I think we'll lose.

no no dude, I get you. There's no point debating this even. Wales have the better scrum and it'll come right down to that. England are doomed, I think we've agreed on this. They might be at home, and have a team on a clear ascendency atm full of confidence, a very good coach and a really nice 23 piece-by-piece, and are playing with good chemistry and loads of hearts and youth, but they're doomed man. Period. It'll just be a matter of how close England can make it...I might not even watch the thing...

EDIT:

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 Luke Charteris, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Gethin Jenkins
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Dan Biggar, 23 Liam Williams
Pretty darn good on paper. I've always felt Wales were just a 10 short of being really really ultra-class throughout their XV, but Priestland's got game and Biggar isn't bad. But maybe just that standout 10 they may lack...

So Wales, please first of all, beat England. Okay ? Alright and then also try to do it by just a few points, like, if you're winning with 3min to go, just keep the score where it is, no need to add points. England are too far ahead with their pts diff... thanks guys !
 
Last edited:
no no dude, I get you. There's no point debating this even. Wales have the better scrum and it'll come right down to that. England are doomed, I think we've agreed on this. They might be at home, and have a team on a clear ascendency atm full of confidence, a very good coach and a really nice 23 piece-by-piece, and are playing with good chemistry and loads of hearts and youth, but they're doomed man. Period. It'll just be a matter of how close England can make it...I might not even watch the thing...

EDIT:

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 Luke Charteris, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Gethin Jenkins
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Mike Phillips, 22 Dan Biggar, 23 Liam Williams
Pretty darn good on paper. I've always felt Wales were just a 10 short of being really really ultra-class throughout their XV, but Priestland's got game and Biggar isn't bad. But maybe just that standout 10 they may lack...

So Wales, please first of all, beat England. Okay ? Alright and then also try to do it by just a few points, like, if you're winning with 3min to go, just keep the score where it is, no need to add points. England are too far ahead with their pts diff... thanks guys !

Wales have got their best team out I would say .

I'm gonna get the excuses in now we have lots of injuries etc :D
 
Top