England vs Wales - 12/08/23

[kesh]

-(Captain) Genge Wales Pre-match interview: "play it like its your last match, but enjoying yourself is the No.1 priority over winning"
- Ludlow - doesn't know the rules
- Itojie - same
- Youngs - old slow and doesn't snipe

We're literally France 2005 onwards. This is a two decades issue.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

- Ludlow - doesn't know the rules

Good thing he's not involved then

 

[Nudger]

You really need to start proof-reading your posts my guy

Daly is good haha

 

[kesh]

Good thing he's not involved then

****. Spot the causal and good.

 

[Ferrari333SP]

Waiting, waiting, for this England squad

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

England recall Farrell and Vunipola to face Wales

England head coach Steve Borthwick names an experienced team for the World Cup warm-up match against Wales at Twickenham.

www.bbc.co.uk

Looks like itoje at 4 and lawes at 6. Unless bbc trying to correct madness. Didn't they use to switch between lock and blindside depending on the situation? That's an Eddie thing I remember for a couple games.

 

[Geordie]

15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)

14. Henry Arundell (Racing 92, 7 caps)

13. Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 16 caps)

12. Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 11 caps)

11. Elliot Daly (Saracens, 57 caps)

10. Owen Farrell (C) (Saracens, 106 caps)

9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 13 caps)

1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 79 caps)

2. Jamie George (Saracens, 77 caps)

3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 67 caps)

5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 2 caps)

6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 97 caps)

7. Ben Earl (Saracens, 15 caps)

8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 68 caps)

Replacements
16. Theo Dan (Saracens, 1 cap)

17. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 49 caps)

18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 100 caps)

19. Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 20 caps)

20. Jack Willis (Toulouse, 10 caps)

21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 122 caps)

22. George Ford (Sale Sharks, 82 caps)

23. Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 19 caps)

 

[Ferrari333SP]

 

[Geordie]

I like that team to be fair....got a bit of everything.

 

[ncurd]

I like that team to be fair....got a bit of everything.

Pass Kick
Pass Pass Drop

So yup

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Yeah honestly quite like the look of that. Think I'm right in saying that after 13 caps this will be Earl's first start so very curious to see how he does with (hopefully) a full 80 mins.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I really like that team to be fair. Hopefully they play like they've met each other before.

 

[higgik]

Very Sarries like.

I really like that team to be fair. Hopefully they play like they've met each other before.

Just hope Farrell listens to the calls made by Daly and Marchant.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, not too shabby that - very interested to see how Earl and Vunipola go,
Midfield, on paper, is the best we've had in....20years? (Possible hyperbole, but it's a very exciting duo either way)

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Suspect we may finish with:
4. Hill
5. Martin
6. Itoje
7. Willis
8. Earl

Think Lawes and Vunipola will both be having their game time managed after injuries, hence why Itoje seems to have been training a lot at 6 this week.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I like that team to be fair....got a bit of everything.

Definitely a team that should work on paper and possibly one of the heaviest packs we'll have fielded in a while.

Lovely way for Genge to celebrate his 50th cap - off the bench in a friendly.

If anything happens to George I'm tracking down Borthwick's house and standing outside with a megaphone yelling "I told you so…..".

 

[Scotty]

View attachment 17316

Pretty happy with that, personally i would have started Willis, there is no one who is really a breakdown specialist there. Lawes bench maybe. And started Dan, we dont need to learn about George and he is there is Dan isnt handling the pressure.

But not unhappy at all. Hopfully working on keeping hold of the ball this week

Liking the 9 - 15 tbh.

Oh and im fully prepared for Lawrence to be subbed(not risked) for Ford for the last 20. I will accept this to make sure we get Lawrence to the WC.

Billy hasnt looked great in years yet his is still a big lump, good carrier and has pretty good hands, is it a worry having no other 8s in the squad...hell yes but i hope we see the best of him.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Pretty happy with that, personally i would have started Willis, there is no one who is really a breakdown specialist there.

Earl is an underrated breakdown threat IMO. Made loads of turnovers this season. Just because he's excellent with ball in hand doesn't mean he's only excellent ball in hand.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Earl is an underrated breakdown threat IMO. Made loads of turnovers this season. Just because he's excellent with ball in hand doesn't mean he's only excellent ball in hand.

Yeah, his stats are very good - think 2nd in the league per 80mins, slightly behind Curry

 

[Geordie]

Pretty happy with that, personally i would have started Willis, there is no one who is really a breakdown specialist there. Lawes bench maybe. And started Dan, we dont need to learn about George and he is there is Dan isnt handling the pressure.

But not unhappy at all. Hopfully working on keeping hold of the ball this week

Liking the 9 - 15 tbh.

Oh and im fully prepared for Lawrence to be subbed(not risked) for Ford for the last 20. I will accept this to make sure we get Lawrence to the WC.

Billy hasnt looked great in years yet his is still a big lump, good carrier and has pretty good hands, is it a worry having no other 8s in the squad...hell yes but i hope we see the best of him.

Is it essential to have a specialised 8? Good article in World Rugby magazine about it. And Ardie Savea isnt an 8 but not doing too shabby. Only 6'2 and 16st...same as Ben Earl...who will probably be covering 8 for us.