England vs Wales Match day thread

[maestegmafia]

First topic message reminder :

SIX NATIONS: ENGLAND V WALES
Venue: Twickenham Date: Sunday, 9 March Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC One HD, listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

England

15-Mike Brown, 14-Jack Nowell, 13-Luther Burrell, 12-Billy Twelvetrees, 11-Jonny May, 10-Owen Farrell, 9-Danny Care

1-Joe Marler, 2-Dylan Hartley, 3-David Wilson, 4-Joe Launchbury, 5-Courtney Lawes, 6-Tom Wood, 7-Chris Robshaw (captain), 8-Ben Morgan

Replacements: 16-Tom Youngs, 17-Mako Vunipola, 18-Henry Thomas, 19-Dave Attwood, 20-Tom Johnson, 21-Lee Dickson, 22-George Ford, 23-Alex Goode


Wales

15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-Alex Cuthbert, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-George North, 10-Rhys Priestland, 9-Rhys Webb

1-Gethin Jenkins, 2-Richard Hibbard, 3-Adam Jones, 4-Jake Ball, 5-Alun Wyn Jones, 6-Dan Lydiate, 7-Sam Warburton (capt), 8-Taulupe Faletau

Replacements: Ken Owens, Paul James, Rhodri Jones, Andrew Coombs, Justin Tipuric, Mike Phillips, Dan Biggar, Liam Williams
MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee : Romain Poite (Fra)

Touch judges : Steve Walsh (Aus) & Lourens van der Merwe (RSA)
TV Official : Simon McDowell (Ire)


Next up for Wales is a trip to London and after all the banter coming out of the England camp it is time to finish the hype this match has been building and play some rugby. Have England improved on last year? Will home advantage be enough? Has Wales over come a trough and reached another high?

With plenty of injuries to key players, in fact some of England's very best players are out of this game, a convincing win for England over Wales will give the nation huge confidence going forward, maybe even a shot at the championship next weekend.

The build up seems to have been all about England, Wales are a known entity, twice champions in recent years with pretty much the same team they field tomorrow, little change to their game plan or style gives very little to discuss.

On the many various threads the situation is similar, all about England, with very little admiration of this perceivably over-rated Welsh team that have failed to beat a Southern Hemisphere top three team since 2008, the mark of all great sides.

In all honesty a tough and challenging end to the Six Nations will do this Welsh set up some good, possibly more good than the confidence a third consecutive championship would give them. Wales have little to lose and less to prove, a defeat in the manner of last years game would be vastly more detrimental to their hosts.

I hope all the fans enjoy the game, I am sure it will be the usual roller coaster of emotion for both Nations.

[ALPanorak]

In the four games thus far I'm disappointed that May and Nowell really haven't done anything, certainly nothing to suggest they ought to start ahead of Yarde/Wade come the Autumn internationals

[Rugby Fan]

May and Nowell have been poor. I have criticised Twelvetrees quite a bit but he's done pretty well today.

I'd agree with that. Both wingers have had ball but failed to do anything with it

[HammerofThunor]

I don't think I've seen England kick into space like this for a decade.

[beshocked]

Farrell has been kicking well. Pinning Wales back again and again

[Nachos Jones]

All that yelling 'no hands' and no penalty?

[mckay1402]

Fair play to England they've deserved this win

[glamorganalun]

Well done England good and deserved win.

[wales606]

Wales knocking on every single time!

[Nachos Jones]

What handling from England. Hell of a tackle from 1/2p stopped a cert try.

[Hood83]

Great tackle, great build up though also

[Nachos Jones]

Aaahhh, Steve Walsh just had to get involved in the show

[glamorganalun]

Nothing wrong with that tackle.

[nathan]

hmmm, 50/50 for that. He was running that way anyway but he didn't need to tackle.

[Sgt_Pooly]

100% a pen

[Hood83]

Didn't see that as a penalty, but then Poite has been very average throughout.

[Pal Joey]

Nothing there Steve Walsh, Williams had to commit himself to that tackle. Poite gets it wrong again.

[Biltong]

It is an unfortunate penalty, difficult to get out of the way when your momentum is going

[Hood83]

Oh dear oh dear

[kingelderfield]

May should have had a go on the outside. He's still green, however a rugby brain would have attacked the space/opportunity.

I hope his tenure is not so short lived that he struggles to come back.

[nathan]

a lineout with t. youngs that was a success!

[Biltong]

Theres like eight bodies on the ground at the ruck

[Nachos Jones]

England have been well worth the win. Lawes is a good call for MotM.

[glamorganalun]

Rubbish performance by Wales and two of the officials. England deserved their win Wales could not score a try.

[Pal Joey]

Credit to the England defence for all this match... ferocious stuff. Wales simply couldn't crack it.

[Biltong]

Well done England, solid performance

[Guest]

Outplayed

[kingelderfield]

English muscle and Farrells boot won't beat NZ or RSA

[mystiroakey]

Very good win. And sorted out our penaltys against second half..

[Hood83]

Thank God, good to beat ol' Blockhead for once.

[nathan]

right, wheres Scratch. hehe

[gramps]

shamefull display

[majesticimperialman]

WALES "LIONS" Lose their ROAR.       

[nathan]

i have to say Gatland is as much to blame for the defeat as the players are.

[Guest]

Congratulations England. Very good win.

[nobbled]

Fantastic! Well played England!
Wales have some fantastic players, but when plan A doesn't work, Warren turns to plan .... Um... A

[LeinsterFan4life]

Gatland is getting shown up now that England and Ireland are starting to perorm, Wales need rid of Gatlang imo.

[HammerofThunor]

Right, just need to beat Italy by 50-odd points more than Ireland beat France. Easy.

[GloriousEmpire]

I think the point is being missed here.

Yet ANOTHER virtually point perfect prediction from ME.

Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if there's any point watching rugby for you guys any more. You should probably just check my predictions and then start your bickering.

[mystiroakey]

36 raised his game ten fold today.. well played .

[gregortree]

Scratch, SCRATCH ? here boy !

[Biltong]

Lawes was immense.

[Rugby Fan]

Lancaster now needs a wins over South Africa and Samoa to get a full house of victories over top 10 teams.

[nathan]

Scratch, SCRATCH ? here  boy !

does it mean we're allowed to now reply to posts with simply.

29 - 18

[George Carlin]

England were good value for that - their pack was absolutely outstanding - ball retention and recycling was brilliant and the defensive line speed was consistently stifling. Wales just weren't allowed to play.

[Guest]

Gatland is getting shown up now that England and Ireland are starting to perorm, Wales need rid of Gatlang imo.

We don't, but the changes he had to make were glaringly obvious. Jenkins should've been off as soon as he was warned. A card was inevitable.

[Biltong]

Remember boys, be proud of your team, and gracious in victory.

[kingelderfield]

If Yarde and Wade can regain their form/fitness then we will have real competition. Ashton may still even find himself over the next couple of months, plus Tuilagi and Foden.

AND CIPRIANI......

[Nachos Jones]

Gatland has a lot to answer for here. Priestland was clearly struggling and he should have come off at half time. Waiting until the 60min mark was way too late.

England are the worthy winners and deserve the triple crown

[TJ]

For me thats a case of "who dares wins" England attacked from deep, varied the play and played with pace. Wales were as predictable as many of us thought they would be making Englands tactics obvious.

England - another step on the way to becoming a great team. Lawes, Burrell, very good. Twelvetrees showed a lot of good stuff today as well

Wales -Biggar should have started, Whatever happened to Richie Rees? Can Gatland find plan B? Will they scrummage legally in future?

[majesticimperialman]

So England can score tries against Wales.

Well played England a very good win today.

But i have too say Wales was poor compared to how they have played in recent years.

But well done England.

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