Wales v England - Teams and prediction
Today at 03:42 AM
ROUND FIVE PREVIEW: England head into their Six Nations finale against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday knowing a bonus-point win will give them their best chance of a first championship title in five years.
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But the uncertainty of which England team will turn up at the Millennium Stadium remains.
England scored seven tries in a 47-24 defeat of Italy at Twickenham last week, the game after being outscored three tries to one in a nervy 16-15 win at home to Scotland.
Steve Borthwick's side can put the pressure on leaders France, who have a vastly superior points difference, but Les Bleus will likely secure the title if they defeat Scotland later on Saturday.
The match against a Wales outfit who is on a national record losing streak of 16 successive Tests and staring at a second straight Six Nations wooden spoon still promises to be a useful measure of England's progress.
World champions South Africa or New Zealand would likely pulverise Wales in their current condition, as France did at the start of this Six Nations with a 43-0 rout in Paris.
England, however, have yet to demonstrate a similarly ruthless streak, with Wales showing the risk in not fully taking advantage of their faltering pack when they came from 8-35 down against Scotland at Murrayfield last week before narrowly losing 29-35.
'Play the way we want to'
England coach Borthwick has often preached the worth of cohesion in this tournament yet has repeatedly made unenforced changes to his side.
Against Wales, centre Ollie Lawrence was ruled out with an Achilles injury suffered early on against Italy.
But Borthwick has made several alterations - recalling Marcus Smith at fullback while Tommy Freeman who played on the wing against Italy, is now at outside centre.
The 24-year-old attempts to match France wing Philippe Bernat-Salles' 2001 feat of scoring a try in every round of a Six Nations.
Sale wing Tom Roebuck gets his first Test start, with veteran utility back Elliot Daly moved to the other wing as Ollie Sleightholme drops out of the matchday squad entirely.
The new-look back three is well-versed in dealing with the high ball should Wales opt for that tactic.
Up front, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and flanker Ben Curry, playing in the back-row alongside twin brother Tom, also start in a team still captained by lock Maro Itoje.
"Wherever we play, we want to make sure we play the way we want to and find a way to win," said former England captain Borthwick.
Roebuck, meanwhile, insisted: "We are not complacent in any way.
"We know Wales pose a very big threat... The atmosphere there [at the Millennium Stadium] is going to be intense."
Saturday will mark the end of Matt Sherratt's three-game spell as interim Wales coach after the Cardiff boss was parachuted in mid-tournament following a woeful defeat by Italy that signalled the end of Warren Gatland's unsuccessful second spell in charge.
"I would love to sign off [with a win], not for me but for the players and staff who have been here for a long time," said Sherratt, who has given a start on the wing to Scarlets centre Joe Roberts in place of the injured Tom Rogers.
"There will be emotion on Saturday.
"It is getting that balance between heart and brain," added the Englishman, who will look to experienced flyhalf Gareth Anscombe to steer a Wales team where the recalled Aaron Wainwright joins impressive captain Jac Morgan in the back row.
"There will be stacks of heart. We need to get our game on the pitch."
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Players to watch
For Wales: Fullback Blair Murray's ability to spark a counter-attack could be a factor should the opportunity present itself. Gareth Anscombe's experience will be counted on to steer the ship alongside veteran loose forwards Taulupe Faletau and captain Jac Morgan, who has been a standout player in a losing outfit.
For England: Marcus Smith is back in the fullback jumper. The playmaker can be dangerous on attack from broken field play and will have to deal with Wales' high-ball play. The halfback combination of Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith is a solid and exciting one, and will need their pack to stand up to give them front foot ball and help England deliver a convincing performance.
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Prediction:
@rugby365com: England by 15 points
Teams:
Wales: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Joe Roberts, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Jac Morgan (captain), 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Nick Tompkins.
England: 15 Marcus Smith, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Tommy Freeman, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Will Stuart, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Chandler Cunningham-South, 20 Henry Pollock, 21 Tom Willis, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 George Ford.
Date: Saturday, March 15
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 16.45 (16.45 GMT)
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (France), Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
