[2023 Six Nations] Wales vs England - 25 February 2023

[TRF_Olyy]

England trim to 26:



Ben Curry recalled and retained,
Caden Murley(!)

Guessing that the three that'll drop will be:
Curry, Isiekwe, Murley


Edit: Actually those numbers ain't numbering, it'll be one forward two backs dropped

Genge, George, Sinckler
Itoje, Chessum,
Ludlam, Willis, Dombrandt
JvP, Farrell,
Arundell, Lawrence, Slade, Malins
Steward

Walker, Vunipola, Cole, Isiekwe, Lawes, Mitchell, Smith, Watson

Out:
Ben Curry, Cadan Murley, Joe Marchant

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

England trim to 26:



Ben Curry recalled and retained,
Caden Murley(!)

Guessing that the three that'll drop will be:
Curry, Isiekwe, Murley

Where's Earl?

He's named 12 backs and 14 forwards so at least 2 backs will go, 3 if he wants 6-2.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He's named 12 backs and 14 forwards so at least 2 backs will go, 3 if he wants 6-2.

Yeah I've just clocked that and updated

Dropping Earl does feel harsh - I can understand him not being in the 26 if he's not expected to be in the 23 (I don't think the three spares are released back to their clubs this weekend, and he could do with the game time if he's not involved with England) but it does feel like he should be in the 23 (19. Lawes, 20. Earl?)

 

[Crash Hamster]

Lawes for Earl, too... interesting.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

No Youngs still!

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Curry missing out on the 36 to then be called into the 26 while Earl was in the 36 but misses out on the 26 seems very odd.

I'm really hoping to see Murley get game time, and in a weird way I can honestly see him starting. The only explanation I have for him suddenly going from being outside the 36 to inside the 26 is that Borthwick really wants his 11 to be a power runner, and so Murley has come straight in for OHC.

 

[Reiser99]

So dropped are:

Dunn, Earl, Ribbans, Rodd, Simmonds, Stuart, Dingwall, Freeman, Ford, Youngs.

Ben Curry also replaces Tom Curry who is injured.

 

[Reiser99]

No deal from the meeting.

Players meeting now to discuss what they've heard and if the game will go ahead.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Going ahead.

 

[Reiser99]

players blinked first. WRU called their bluff.

 

[Saintjay]

Reports that cap limit down to 25.

LRZ only needs 3 more.

Tommy Reffell might be f@cked.

No idea how long the exeter lads have on contract.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Also Players and agents will have the option of a fixed contract or a fixed and variable deal.

Wales to face England in Cardiff as strike avoided

Wales' Six Nations match against England will go ahead on Saturday after the Welsh players decide against strike action.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Saintjay]

Always knew AWJ would want to bump up his pension pot just before reaching retirement age. Pension advice supplied by D.Cole at England Rugby.

 

[Reiser99]

Still not sure if there is a deal or a verbal agreement with the players...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hmm, sounds like the players blinked first - appreciate that actually going through with the strike would be a massive step but these terms feel like the WRU giving them the bare minimum and now they've lost their biggest bargaining chip

 

[Welsh Exile]

It's a tough one as losing £10 mil would ultimately **** them over. It would **** us all over.

Sad to hear Ken Owens public ally say the hard truth that we are a laughing stock. Everyone are saying the right things but we've been here time and time again and history keeps repeating itself. I won't hold my breath that we can look forward now, we'll be right back in this situation a few months down the line no doubt. Jiffy was saying there's no trust between anyone in Welsh rugby and he's right but who'd trust the WRU?

Anyway, the games going ahead which is what we all want at the end of the day. Can't say I'm buzzing like I usually would be but hope we can make a good go of it considering the nightmare prep this week. WOL saying Grady to start which would be great.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Its sounds like a reasonable compromise, albeit one where test veterans have perhaps not shown so much solidarity with young and journeyman Welsh players.

Wales were pretty handy in the first half at Murrayfield despite all the inexperienced faces. Even though England are in transition they've been significantly below what I was expecting in a post EJ / Ben Youngs world. I'll be surprised if there is more than 7 points in it, either way.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Some have suggested that the Welsh will be fired up by what has happened recently but I don't feel that's going to be the case. If England had been screwing them over then fair enough but these players have been screwed around by their own union and will not have walked away from the deal happy at all. I can't see them getting fired up vs England at all, if anything I'd imagine their motivation would be pretty low. I don't think England being the target for all teams to vent grievances completely unrelated to England is really a thing.

Which of course means they are going to suddenly find fantastic form and tear England a new one in Cardiff...

 

[ncurd]

So is the roof on or off?

 

[Scotty]

So is the roof on or off?

Wierd that not being most of the chat