WALES (v France): Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, George North, Jamie Roberts, Liam Williams, Rhys Priestland, Rhys Webb; Gethin Jenkins, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Luke Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (Capt), Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Ken Owens; Paul James, Rhodri Jones, Jake Ball, Justin Tipuric, Mike Phillips, Dan Biggar, James Hook.

Spikey dropped, which isn’t really a surprise.

North v Bastareaud in the centres? Bish, bash, bosh! I suspect George is a little more agile, though.

French referee, though. 😉

Also, a Welsh rugby/beer PSA – Sainsburys appear to be doing bottles of SA or Rev James for one pound and twenty nine pennies.

Liam Williams and Rhys Webb are nowhere near as good as Phillips and Hook, thats just plain stupid. Front five get mashed and flankers go awol and Wales drop the scrum half. It was ever thus!
Basteraud is broken isnt he? Fickou v North fills me with dread far more than a fat lad running straight at him.

France by 12

I’m cheering for Wales 😕

I really,really rate fickou,he will be a real test of North’s credentials. Mind you,North is pretty special. The joy of watching a game as a neutral….( welsh wife not about)

Shaun Edwards will be leaving an assortment of pies and cakes on the touchline so as to distract the big French fella.

😀

Agreed. Especially at 2000hrs. I understand why it’s that late, to get people to the ground etc, but it’s not the right time to be playing them. To be honest, I prefer them all to be on a Saturday afternoon, as per the final day, but I can understand the Sunday game idea. Friday games? No thanks.

Almost.
Jordi Murphy’s in 🙂

Maybe a bit unfair on Tommy O’Donnell who let no-one down but he’s a great young player.
Mini SOB

England team’s up,

Fatman Wilson in to replace Cole. Nothing wrong with the Bath scrum, but shows how bare the cupboard is that a man with 25mins playing time in 2 months is starting! If he lasts the first half I’ll be surprised.

Ford set to come in at some point, had to happen so better now than at a later date. He’s kept Farrell out of FH at all age levels and can actually run and make plays, but I’m still worried he’ll be too small for international rugby, and we’ll see a massive attack in that channel, without Barrett in there to cover for him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/26257162

a sad sad story and will be repeated with wales in five-ten years

France by ten
Italy by five
Ireland by five

Like the french game,I think England will be behind in the first half after losing a try to the Irish forwards, yet make a winning comeback in the second.

I’ve got 50p on Burrell tackling BoD and BoD going off injured before 50 mins is up.

I’ve also got 50p on Lawes & Hartley and later giving the Irish pack something coming forward at them they haven’t seen in the 6n so far. And its this that determines the game IMO – if the English pack shock Ireland first half the games ours and vice versa.

Hope its an each way bet Kryton, look what happened thon Welsh boyo when he tried to shoulder charge BOD.

The forward battle is going to be huge and you are correct it will determine the result. Heaslip needs to have a big game against Vunipola and the ruck is where it will be determined. Scrum and line out should be fairly even unless Wilson goes off early.

A word on BOD since he will be the joint most capped tomorrow. Quite a career given the abuse his body has taken. The best ever? Certainly up there but for me it was Jackie Kyle, just awesome.

Thanks loum, nice article. I used to work for a travel company and I booked Jackie Kyle out to NZ for the 2005 Lions tour. He was great company and had many stories to tell. One of the most humble men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

[Couldn’t notice Eve Muirhead’s comments about the men’s curling final – ” the Canadians wanted it more!” 😉 but what would she know, she’s only an Olympic medalist. Is she dating PO’M?]

Looking forward to what should be the weekend of the tournament. More relaxed tonight (c’mon wales), but tomorrow will be tense!

Blimey guys have “some” faith – this is a home match and crappy old England almost beat them in Paris and you are much better than we are. 😉

THM have you seen wales play recently. Rumour mill states that AW Jones is injured too!

Getting a bit excited/nervous now, not 100% in agreement with gatlands choices but the french have a few players with only a few caps so we will see how it goes.

Gutted AW Jones is out as well

1/2p looks like he’s spent the week in a crack den, captain Sam looks worried!