England v Wales; Saturday, 4.45. ITV / S4C

[Which Tyler]

This - Puja's M-b-M has confirmed for me that Ford was doing his part, but Underhill was supposed to be actually making those tackles.
Normally, there's no-one in rugby I'd rather have making the FH's tackles.

Just hope it was rust, not lingering injury

[Banquo]

This - Puja's M-b-M has confirmed for me that Ford was doing his part, but Underhill was supposed to be actually making those tackles.
Normally, there's no-one in rugby I'd rather have making the FH's tackles.

Just hope it was rust, not lingering injury

Both 6 and 7 were sluggish off defensive scrums. No idea what we were doing with other phase play and Chessum shooting out of the line either...

and yes, that was why Eddie went Cunderhill with the Underhill bit packing down at openside.

[p/d]

'The secrets of England’s Got Talent: JOE MARLER on who got the golden buzzer and who did a Saltburn impression in the Six Nations camp'

[FKAS]

Telegraph running with the rumour of an unchanged side for the Wales game.

[Puja]

Telegraph running with the rumour of an unchanged side for the Wales game.

Just seen that. Good call if true - there were so many things in the Italy game where it was off by just a little bit of cohesion and I will be interested to see the same XV get a chance to go again with having had a match under their belt.

Puja

[16th man]

Telegraph running with the rumour of an unchanged side for the Wales game.

Just seen that. Good call if true - there were so many things in the Italy game where it was off by just a little bit of cohesion and I will be interested to see the same XV get a chance to go again with having had a match under their belt.

Puja

And so to see if we've managed to put together a coaching team where the performances don't get worse the longer the squad is in camp.

[Adam_P]

Same 23 other than Genge on the bench

Starting

15. Freddie Steward
14. Tommy Freeman
13. Henry Slade
12. Fraser Dingwall
11. Elliot Daly
10. George Ford
9. Alex Mitchell
1. Joe Marler
2. Jamie George - captain
3. Will Stuart
4. Maro Itoje
5. Ollie Chessum
6. Ethan Roots
7. Sam Underhill
8. Ben Earl

Replacements

16. Theo Dan
17. Ellis Genge
18. Dan Cole
19. Alex Coles
20. Chandler Cunningham-South
21. Danny Care
22. Fin Smith
23. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

[Mikey Brown]

I knew Obano was the real problem.

[Adam_P]

I get the merit of stability in selection here, but I would at least liked to have seen Feyi-Waboso come in for Daly. And Smith starting instead of Ford - but I don't think there's any danger of that happening.

[fivepointer]

I think pretty sensible to go again with the same original 23

A game together and a weeks training will hopefully see some positive development.

[Mush]

Understandable to retain the starting XV. I think a bit of tinkering could have made a noticeable difference. The back row really need to work efficiently, collectively and look to be a little more effective than last week.

[TheDasher]

Stuart needs a big game, as does Dingwall, as does Daly.

Hoping also that skipper George plays really well - England may be better served with Dan or Blamire or someone else soon, we don't want the captaincy meaning better options don't get a look in...

[Morton]

So what's happened to Ben Spencer then? So much talk about him a few weeks ago. Again not even on the bench. And i'm disappointed there's no place for Furbank. Better player now than wben he last played for England.

[p/d]

Part of the fun (if there is such a thing) watching England is Dynamic Dan coming off the bench. The kid finally allowed into the sweet shop !

[Oakboy]

So what's happened to Ben Spencer then? So much talk about him a few weeks ago. Again not even on the bench. And i'm disappointed there's no place for Furbank. Better player now than wben he last played for England.

The 'rusty' defence of Underhill and Chessum hardly applies to Care!

[Puja]

Stuart needs a big game, as does Dingwall, as does Daly.

Disagree - Stuart was perfectly serviceable and made some solid carries against Italy, Dingwall had a very effective game and I think the late missed tackle is colouring a lot of people's opinions of him, and, while I wouldn't've picked Daly in the first place, he is our best player at chasing kicks (sadly still a part of the game) and didn't do badly apart from his yellow. They're all there on merit

Hoping also that skipper George plays really well - England may be better served with Dan or Blamire or someone else soon, we don't want the captaincy meaning better options don't get a look in...

This I agree with, although I don't think there is a huge risk of it being an issue while Dan is still serving an apprenticeship for club as well as country.

So what's happened to Ben Spencer then? So much talk about him a few weeks ago. Again not even on the bench. And i'm disappointed there's no place for Furbank. Better player now than wben he last played for England.

I've never rated him particularly as an international talent - does some very flashy stuff, but his nuts and bolts aren't good enough and the space he gets at club level won't be there at international. I'm not exactly a fan of Care on the bench, but if the alternative is Spencer, I'm not bothered one way or the other.

Puja

[Puja]

I get the merit of stability in selection here, but I would at least liked to have seen Feyi-Waboso come in for Daly. And Smith starting instead of Ford - but I don't think there's any danger of that happening.

I just hope IFW gets more than 3 minutes this week. He looked useful enough in that time to suggest he could be a real weapon to bring off the bench.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

All I remember is him getting bumped off, but it always feels like you're in a crap position when given <10 minutes to make an impact.

I'm interested what you see in the Dingwall missed tackle at the end when you get there, Puja. I can't tell if he pulls a muscle or something but he looks oddly to be trying to cover the outside man (or thinking about it) even though Ioane is already clean through. I'm not really sure what he was thinking there.

[TheDasher]

Stuart needs a big game, as does Dingwall, as does Daly.

Disagree - Stuart was perfectly serviceable and made some solid carries against Italy, Dingwall had a very effective game and I think the late missed tackle is colouring a lot of people's opinions of him, and, while I wouldn't've picked Daly in the first place, he is our best player at chasing kicks (sadly still a part of the game) and didn't do badly apart from his yellow. They're all there on merit

Puja

To clarify on Stuart - I was lazy with my comment - I'd pick him again too, I like him overall and have been disappointed with his form over the past 5-6 games he's been involved in. He needs a big game because he needs to kick on, to convince people - good start vs Italy, needs to build on it.

Dingwall - I'm not convinced at this level to be honest. Like him for Saints, talented, neat and tidy, clever player. I think the game has moved on at intl level, it's packed full of freakish people - look at Aki, de Allende, Danty etc. Looking at pictures of Dingwall after the game, in the changing room etc, he's genuinely pretty slight and small - I'm not sure you can pick him next to Ford. I am not jngf - I don't mind smaller players - big fan of Earl, don't mind him at 8 whilst others do. But he's extremely powerful and dynamic, and has something unique, his pace. I want Dingwall to work but I don't see us winning a world cup final vs South Africa with Ford and Dingwall at 10 and 12.

And on Daly - I get it on the kicking argument, but if you're just talking chasing them, Roebuck can do that...

[p/d]

Dingwall - I'm not convinced at this level to be honest. Like him for Saints, talented, neat and tidy, clever player. I think the game has moved on at intl level, it's packed full of freakish people - look at Aki, de Allende, Danty etc. Looking at pictures of Dingwall after the game, in the changing room etc, he's genuinely pretty slight and small - I'm not sure you can pick him next to Ford. I am not jngf - I don't mind smaller players - big fan of Earl, don't mind him at 8 whilst others do. But he's extremely powerful and dynamic, and has something unique, his pace. I want Dingwall to work but I don't see us winning a world cup final vs South Africa with Ford and Dingwall at 10 and 12.

And on Daly - I get it on the kicking argument, but if you're just talking chasing them, Roebuck can do that...

and the work that Tuipulotu does. Plus a go to man when Russell needs to shovel shit and keep on the front foot.

[TheDasher]

Dingwall - I'm not convinced at this level to be honest. Like him for Saints, talented, neat and tidy, clever player. I think the game has moved on at intl level, it's packed full of freakish people - look at Aki, de Allende, Danty etc. Looking at pictures of Dingwall after the game, in the changing room etc, he's genuinely pretty slight and small - I'm not sure you can pick him next to Ford. I am not jngf - I don't mind smaller players - big fan of Earl, don't mind him at 8 whilst others do. But he's extremely powerful and dynamic, and has something unique, his pace. I want Dingwall to work but I don't see us winning a world cup final vs South Africa with Ford and Dingwall at 10 and 12.

And on Daly - I get it on the kicking argument, but if you're just talking chasing them, Roebuck can do that...

and the work that Tuipulotu does. Plus a go to man when Russell needs to shovel shit and keep on the front foot.

Absolutely, agreed. And Tompkins for Wales isn't a really big lad but he's got that freakish determination in the carry, he's super physical - he punches well above his weight. Get Olly Hartley in there SB.

[p/d]

Dingwall - I'm not convinced at this level to be honest. Like him for Saints, talented, neat and tidy, clever player. I think the game has moved on at intl level, it's packed full of freakish people - look at Aki, de Allende, Danty etc. Looking at pictures of Dingwall after the game, in the changing room etc, he's genuinely pretty slight and small - I'm not sure you can pick him next to Ford. I am not jngf - I don't mind smaller players - big fan of Earl, don't mind him at 8 whilst others do. But he's extremely powerful and dynamic, and has something unique, his pace. I want Dingwall to work but I don't see us winning a world cup final vs South Africa with Ford and Dingwall at 10 and 12.

And on Daly - I get it on the kicking argument, but if you're just talking chasing them, Roebuck can do that...

and the work that Tuipulotu does. Plus a go to man when Russell needs to shovel shit and keep on the front foot.

Absolutely, agreed. And Tompkins for Wales isn't a really big lad but he's got that freakish determination in the carry, he's super physical - he punches well above his weight. Get Olly Hartley in there SB.

Yeah, Tompkins is a feisty fella.

I'm also with you about Daly. Not sure why we have him back in the squad anyway, but that yellow card should have been enough to see him dropped for this game.

[TheDasher]

and the work that Tuipulotu does. Plus a go to man when Russell needs to shovel shit and keep on the front foot.

Absolutely, agreed. And Tompkins for Wales isn't a really big lad but he's got that freakish determination in the carry, he's super physical - he punches well above his weight. Get Olly Hartley in there SB.

Yeah, Tompkins is a feisty fella.

I'm also with you about Daly. Not sure why we have him back in the squad anyway, but that yellow card should have been enough to see him dropped for this game.

Daly has gradually become more and more boring. Daly's appeal when he first broke through at Wasps, and during that time (2018/2019 I think) in which he was our finest intl winger/one of the best wingers in the world, was flair and technique. Stepping, chip kicks, general footballing flair and class. Over the past couple of years he's just looked so predictable and play by numbers. The appeal has gone in my view, he's needs moving on.

[p/d]

Absolutely, agreed. And Tompkins for Wales isn't a really big lad but he's got that freakish determination in the carry, he's super physical - he punches well above his weight. Get Olly Hartley in there SB.

Yeah, Tompkins is a feisty fella.

I'm also with you about Daly. Not sure why we have him back in the squad anyway, but that yellow card should have been enough to see him dropped for this game.

Daly has gradually become more and more boring. Daly's appeal when he first broke through at Wasps, and during that time (2018/2019 I think) in which he was our finest intl winger/one of the best wingers in the world, was flair and technique. Stepping, chip kicks, general footballing flair and class. Over the past couple of years he's just looked so predictable and play by numbers. The appeal has gone in my view, he's needs moving on.

Indeed. Shame he has been given a berth in the side when we need to be developing other options. Mind you, Freeman aside, there isn't that much to jump and down about alongside him in the backs.

[oldbackrow]

Yeah, Tompkins is a feisty fella.

I'm also with you about Daly. Not sure why we have him back in the squad anyway, but that yellow card should have been enough to see him dropped for this game.

I've always rated Tompkins, he is very good at taking a crash ball but also has great hands and good decisions making.

What's interesting is his excellent defence, but his tackling technique is the same as Farrells, the only difference being his timing is better and he tends not to go as hard as Farrell, much more of an 'absorbing' hit.