England unchanged to face Wales
ENGLAND have named an unchanged team for the first time since the 2019 World Cup final as they prepare to face Wales in the Six Nations at Twickenham tomorrow, with Ellis Genge the only change on the bench from the side who beat Italy last week.
In the squad released on Thursday, loosehead prop Genge returns in place of Beno Obano after overcoming the foot injury that made him a late withdrawal in Rome.
Such continuity is extremely rare, usually due to injuries, but Borthwick’s squad came through last week’s opener relatively unscathed.
Although England’s 27-24 victory was their smallest winning margin against Italy, they showed more ambition in attack than during their kick-based World Cup campaign last year and, after fighting back from an early 10-0 deficit, were in control for most of the second half.
With five players having made their debuts, coach Steve Borthwick is keen to give them and the new systems another opportunity to bed in.
“With a new player group and a number of new caps, we have tried to develop our game on both sides of the ball,” Borthwick said. “Such changes take time, and I was pleased how quickly the players settled and adapted last weekend.
“While it was far from perfect, it was a promising start and the players will get better the more they play together.”
It was Jamie George’s first game as captain and he said he learned a lot from it.
“The thing I need to make sure I keep doing is keep using the guys around me,” said the hooker. “I’ve been so lucky and blessed to have up into leadership roles and I’d be stupid not to keep picking their brains and using them, especially on the field, the likes of Ellis Genge, Maro Itoje and George Ford running the team.”
George agreed with his coach that the Italy victory was a first small step for a squad showing so many changes from that which reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. “There’s a huge excitement around the squad as a whole in terms of building on the performances,” he said.
With a new player group and a number of new caps, we have tried to develop our game on both sides of the ball – England coach Steve Borthwick