Team for this weekend I expect something like:
Dell
McInally
Nel
Gray
Gilchrist ( but I'd rather any other scottish lock)
Ritchie
Watson
Wilson
G. Horne / Price
Hastings
Seymour
Dunbar
Jones H
Graham /Jones L
Kinghorn
Thats a powerful front five, a fast back row and a set of backs to make pretty patterns. Its not a team to go toe to toe but a team to run the opposition ragged
I'd quite like to play the entire midget backs. We could put out a set of backs none of which are over 5'9"
I think that will be the team TJ. Nel is back to his nuggety best, isn’t he? For the Engerlanders, that’s a surprisingly good set of backs you have to choose from, but really shite pack: isn’t it meant to be the other way about for you lot?
Nellie the scrumphant? Yup - pretty much back to his best
Its so nice not to have an underpowered pack like we had for so many years
that’s a surprisingly good set of backs you have to choose from, but really shite pack: isn’t it meant to be the other way about for you lot
I am pretty sure the last time we did this the forwards just crash balled into obscurity and the backs got zero ball.
Duckman; the pack we’ve chosen is pretty light weight and very green (expected given the injuries to an extent). It could have been less green if he’d retained Morgan, who has been in good form this season and always seems to do well for us at international level. Still find it nuts that some of the Exeter back row haven’t been picked especially when we need som lumps to carry the ball. SA are doing Ok at the mo too so I doubt they’ll be too worried and if they go back to their usual strengths, our pack will get munched and those good backs won’t see much ball at all.
I agree,against the saffers I would think morgan itoje and that mad bugger from Newcastle would suit the game lack of fetcher or not. Instead it is suggested Shields will play 8. SA looked great against the lighter all blacks by matching their tempo and forcing collisions. Normally my money would be on England, not sure about this week.
Do SA have their English based players available. DeClerk and that Wasps 15vwill be big losses.
Thats a good point, the prem teams have not released the Welsh boys have they?
Or the scots
Gethin bows out on Sunday for the Blues. 129 caps for Wales plus 5 as a Lion. Legend.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46042857
Gethin Jenkins to play one last game for Cardiff this weekend before retiring. Greatest Welsh forward ever I reckon. A true legend being given a proper send off is great to see.
Or the scots
Nope, well anyway it is to Englands advantage not to be playing against DeKlerk. He is demon.
Is that one of those Gray brothers? I’ve heard they’re the best ; )
😂😂
Adam Hastings has a neck like Luke Charteris!
Teams out
15. Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) – 5 caps
14. Tommy Seymour VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 43 caps
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps
12. Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) – 28 caps
11. Lee Jones (Glasgow Warriors) – 9 caps
10. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – 3 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
1. Allan Dell (Edinburgh) – 13 caps
2. Stuart McInally CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 18 caps
3. Willem Nel (Edinburgh) – 22 caps
4. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) – 12 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 43 caps
6. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – 2 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh) – 20 caps
8. Ryan Wilson VICE CAPTAIN (Glasgow Warriors) – 37 caps
Substitutes
16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 34 caps
17. Alex Allan (Glasgow Warriors) – 4 caps
18. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) – 10 caps
19. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) – 25 caps
20. Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap
21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 2 caps
22. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 35 caps
23. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – uncapped
Jenkins was a great servant to Welsh rugby and in many ways ahead of his time in being athletic for a prop and doing more than waddling between set pieces. 134 international caps is a hell of a record.
AA, that's the wrong picture.
Nice to see Ali Price picked...no one show him this link!!
Although Western Mail suggesting Davies will be rested.
15 LEIGH HALFPENNY
14 GEORGE NORTH
13 JONATHAN DAVIES
12 OWEN WATKIN
11 LUKE MORGAN
10 GARETH ANSCOMBE
9 ALED DAVIES
1 ROB EVANS
2 ELLIOT DEE
3 DILLON LEWIS
4 JAKE BALL
5 ALUN WYN JONES
6 DAN LYDIATE
7 JUSTIN TIPURIC
8 ROSS MORIARTY
Has Gatland asked the Western Mail to pick the team then, because he’s still in NZ?
Often they're, guesses are based on what they have seen in training and they do have phones in most of NZ these days!
Well, its our team announcement day. Rumours are all about the midfield being Ford, Farrell and Slade with Tuilagi kept to be warmed up again Japan before facing Aus & the AB’s.
Makes sense to me, no point being hammered by the Boks and unavailable later. I’m nervous do Slade though, for me he’s never quite international standard.
Pretty sure the back three will be Daly, Splashton & May.
Slade was vaunted as the great white hope a couple of years ago wasn't he? Lets hope he can pull it together.
I feel more concerned about Ashton, he has always been a bit of a defensive hole. I wish we had some other wingers that had come through by now.
Daly, Splashton & May
Both Wings are poor "footballers" its going to mean Daly will have to cover a lot of ground and be positioned well, Wales get away with it as we have 1/2p at the back but is Daly an experienced enough 15...will be a challenge for him. Last thing you want is to see Ashton and May turned to collect deep kicks into space and clearing.
its a miracle 1/2p is still allowed on a pitch to tackle. His head must be as noodley as a puppet on a string by now. Yes he doesnt miss tackles, but he's going to sacrifice his long term health doing it.
I’ve read that there are doubts that Ashton will be retained and Farrell is supposedly likely to start at FH with Te’o and Slade outside him. Manu is most likely to be a sub along with Ford.
Slade doesn’t quite seem to have recaptured the form he had before he was injured plus he needs to be at 13 really where he plays week in week out for Exeter (the FH thing seems to have died a death).
Ashton's a decent enough footballer. Was playing 15 when over in France and can catch.
Won't need as much babysitting as halfpee's had to do for Wales.
He did indeed have a good stint across the channel and scored a shedload of tries and did well at full back. Just not sure that I trust his defence; Brown was past his sell by date but he was solid in that respect. Ashton couldn’t defend on the wing.
I’d be surprised if Jones started both Ashton and May who are both finishers and he seems to like a busy, work rate winger as well.
We’ll see shortly though; Jones seems a bit muddled at the mo so god knows what our game plan will be!
Farrell is supposedly likely to start at FH with Te’o and Slade outside him. Manu is most likely to be a sub along with Ford.
Actually that makes sense - Ford then doesn't have to ride the first 60 mins of Bok's coming at him, and Manu's there for an impact finisher.
Hmm!
Gethin Jenkins one of the very best, staying with the Blues as a coach, Diolch bach.
No place for Ashton in the 23.
UShields starts in the back row alongside Wilson and Curry. God knows what Shields has done for a start.
Faz at 10 with T’eo and Slade outside him.
Sinkler starts, I assume for his ball carrying rather than his scrummaging ability.
Kruis and Itoje as the locks.
Interesting:
England: Elliot Daly; Jack Nowell, Henry Slade, Ben Te'o, Jonny May; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Alec Hepburn, Dylan Hartley, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Brad Shields, Tom Curry, Mark Wilson.
Replacements:Jamie George, Ben Moon, Harry Williams, Charlie Ewels, Zach Mercer, Danny Care, George Ford, Manu Tuilagi.
Wilson at 8? I'm not sad about Ashton but kind of think he'd make a good attacking finisher and inject some pace in the last 20. Yeah Shields, he carry's well but has been awful in defence lately.
Really don't know what to make of that team atm :S
Really don’t know what to make of that team
Second String pack with a sprinkling of experience and a decent back line?
If Farrell, Ford, Nowell, May, Tuilagi, Teo and daly make it to the RWC its not a bad set of options, plus then you've a few decent players coming through the centres. Watson may make a return, Ashton could be on the bench. Its certainly more threatening than we've had for a little while - if they can play.
Lawes and Kruis make sense, club combo. Wilson deserves his call up, but he’s not a like for like replacement for Billy, Curry is a better seven then Robshaw but Shields has done sweet FA to justify a call up. The front row is what it is given injuries etc; Cole has been good this season and may well be missed because he’s a far better scrummager than Sinckler and he’s contributed far more for Tigers.
The backs don’t look too bad but T’eo had played sweet FA (less than 30 mins this season for Wuss, so he’s got bags of form......). Slade has been prett good this season but I think this is make or break for him at international level. If he’s shit this autumn I think it’s the last we’ll see of him for a bit.
Theres got to be a better scrum half than Youngs in England. He’s been shit for the Tigers and is bringing zero form with him. The rest of the backs make sense and hopefully Daly will go better at FB than he did in the summer.
When we get munched in the set piece I can’t see the replacements changing the tide.
It is probably the best team we have given all the injuries, suspensions etc.
However, I am pessimistic. Glad in a way about Gashton too, but agree he could have been on the bench, however, that would mean dropping one of Ford, Tui or Care and I think they all have bigger claims. If a wing is injured then what would happen, Tui in the centre and Teo or Slade on wing?
If a wing is injured then what would happen, Tui in the centre and Teo or Slade on wing?
My my guess is that Manu may go to the wing as he’s been used there in the past.
England fans happy with this? Perplexed? concerned?
I don't know all the players but it looks like a team picked for a bosher at 12 to hopefully get over the gainline and a fast backrow to ruck for quick ball in attack and to slow the oppositions. Sound about right? Is this a change of style for EJ? Has he learnt part of the lesson from last years calcutta cup? 😉
England fans happy with this?
I don't think Eddies picked a team to complain about given the injuries, but I don't think we will win.
Is this a change of style for EJ?
He said himself this was needed, after many people has said that his original tactics had been worked out / done to death. I do think he's taken the view that the best form of defence is attack, and he does need to speed the Team up for the AB's game, plus get them guessing as to our style on the day.
Ta
Sorry we broke the Vunipolas. They would have strengthened England I believe
<b>Wales: </b>L Halfpenny; G North, J Davies, H Parkes, L Morgan; G Anscombe, G Davies; N Smith, K Owens, D Lewis, C Hill, A Wyn Jones, D Lydiate, J Tipuric, R Moriarty.
<i>Replacements:</i> E Dee, R Evans, L Brown, A Beard, A Wainwright, T Williams, J Evans, S Evans.
Looking forward to see how Morgan gets on as well as N Smith and Dillon Lewis. Lydiate is a bit of a weak link these days but injuries make it the best option. Surprised Jake Ball isnt starting or on bench.
