[2020 Six Nations] England vs Wales (07/03/20)

[Lé Ddanno]

Erm

That's putting it mildly.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Good to see that Jones still has a sense of humour with that backrow. At home that team should be good enough to beat Wales, they need a lot more defensively secure game this week. Doesn't matter how pretty the game is going forward if your conceding tries.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Underhill must be injured, right? Otherwise I'm astounded that he didn't make the cut

Grauniad says he is injured.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

Erm

I agree.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

No JJ either. Bit surprised at that.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

No JJ either. Bit surprised at that.

Really? He's not a lock and there's only so many notlocks you can fit into a squad these days.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

Really? He's not a lock and there's only so many notlocks you can fit into a squad these days.

Good point.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

The weather forecast is fine, so that must be the reason Eddie's abandoned the 6-2 and gone for a 5-3 split on the bench. Just a bit surprised he prefers Earl to JJ as the replacement winger.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Genuinely think Jones just gets bored and does weird **** when not in contention for slams or world cups.

 

[spartan32]

Well that's another back row combo to look forward to. Got to say I'm genuinely surprised that he's gone for a 6-2 split again when JJ is playing so well and Slade is only just back from injury. Would have thought JJ benches with Slade and Hienz?!

Not surprised that Watson comes straight in, or that Ford Faz Axis is maintained, as much as I would have loved to have seen Ford/Faz, Manu, JJ. If nothing else for JJs great defensive work alongside Manu.

Oh Well. EJ pulled it off against Ireland, and I suppose Wales are a little off kilter at the moment so there's room to experiment, although would have preferred he experiment with a new 9, or maybe 15 (Mallinder comes to mine).

 

[spartan32]

Just realised he has gone for a 5-3 and just dropped JJ, which is even more baffling?!!

 

[Jashay]

Okay, so breaking it down:

- Damn good tight 5
- Pretty much our first choice backs from the selection. Wouldn't have been too surprised to see Furbank, but here we are.
- Back Row is odd... but we knew Eddie liked Lawes at 6 and he did play well last game. I'd have had Curry and Wilson the other way around, but I guess Eddie's sticking to his guns there with Curry as an 8.
- Slade fighting off JJ is not how I thought that would play (but not a huge upset), Earl fighting off Ludlam was predictable. Ewels was always making the bench if Lawes was starting.

So really the only big 'huh?' from me is Curry hanging on to the 8 shirt, and I've had three games for that oddity to sink in.

As long as that back row doesn't completely misfire I'd fancy our chances. They'll be up against some strong breakdown work if Wales get their first choice back row, though

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Btw, I'm up for England here. More or less guarantees Ireland top three so we can tinker against Italy whenever that's played. This is news because as @bushytop knows, I seesaw like **** in this fixture!

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

So really the only big 'huh?' from me is Curry hanging on to the 8 shirt, and I've had three games for that oddity to sink in.

In open play, I'm sure Wilson will do a lot of carrying and Curry will do a lot of jackalling. It's only in the scrum that the number on their back really matters, and they'll both be in there, just in different positions.

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

Actually, having said that, you don't have to be in the position in the scrum that relates to the number on your back. Wilson could shift to 8 and Curry to flanker when they scrum down.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Just realised he has gone for a 5-3 and just dropped JJ, which is even more baffling?!!

Looks like 6-2 to me. But I'm old fashioned, and think Earl's a forward.

Wales are moderate / average / in transition. We have 52 caps average in the starting XV. Even allowing for Jones inbuilt battiness we should have more than enough.

 

[MikeTheNative]

15. Leigh Halfpenny (88 Caps)
14. George North (94 Caps)
13. Nick Tompkins (3 Caps)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (28 Caps)
11. Liam Williams (62 Caps)
10. Dan Biggar (82 Caps)
9. Tomos Williams (19 Caps)
1. Rob Evans (38 Caps)
2. Ken Owens (65 Caps)
3. Dillon Lewis (25 Caps)
4. Jake Ball (45 Caps)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (C) (137 Caps)
6. Ross Moriarty (44 Caps)
7. Justin Tipuric (75 Caps)
8. Josh Navidi (23 Caps)

Replacements:

16. Ryan Elias (12 Caps)
17. Rhys Carre (7 Caps)
18. Leon Brown (9 Caps)
19. Aaron Shingler (26 Caps)
20. Taulupe Faletau (75 Caps)
21. Rhys Webb (32 Caps)
22. Jarrod Evans (6 Caps)
23. Johnny McNicholl (3 Caps)

 

[MikeTheNative]

Bit of a risk bringing back Navidi and Liam Williams after not playing for so long but if they are both on form a big asset. Adams out is a blow, North still getting caps despite being bang average/poor the past few years. Going to be tough in the tight 5, not sure I see the point of Shingler as 2nd row sub, thought Rowlands played quite well off the bench against the French.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I guess the WRU just don't care if Norths brain turns into soup

 

[TommiG88]

Not particularly happy with the England team, but if Underhill was injured the back row is a tad bit understandable.

Still don't understand the 6/2 split bench though.