FORMER SKIPPER WARBURTON ON THE CHANGES WALES
SHOULD MAKE FOR BIG ENGLAND SHOWDOWN
FORMER Wales and Lions skipper Sam Warburton believes Warren Gatland needs to make four key selection calls for Saturday’s huge Six Nations showdown with England.
Gatland is likely to use the team he picked for the opening win against France as the default position when he names his side on Thursday for the Principality Stadium clash, with potentially just a couple of alterations.
But Warburton, for so many years Gatland’s lieutenant on the pitch, feels four key personnel changes can help Wales triumph in a game where he says they will need to fight fire with fire.
In a column for the Sunday Times, Warburton argues Gareth Davies and Dan Biggar should start at half-back and Nicky Smith and Jake Ball come into the front five.
If so, it would mean Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Rob Evans and Adam Beard making way from the side that kicked off the tournament in Paris.
Warburton also feels Cardiff Blues youngster Dillon Lewis should be picked on the bench ahead of Samson Lee as he could impact the game in the closing quarter.
Biggar limped out of Northampton’s game against Sale with a knee problem but is expected to be fit enough to train with Wales in the build up to Saturday’s titanic clash.
Gareth Anscombe started the tournament at 10 for Wales, with Biggar then chosen for the Italy match.
Neither has set the Six Nations alight yet, but Warburton feels the magnitude of a Wales v England potential title decider is a ready-made fixture for Biggar’s experience.
He says Anscombe might be the right man to return at 10 for the Murrayfield fixture with Scotland.
Warburton wrote in the Sunday Times: “I’m not always an advocate of selecting a team with the opposition too much in mind, but England’s stunning start, especially their power in the initial phases, demands consideration when picking the Wales side this week. They will need to fight fire with fire.
“Sometimes, when you know a player you get a feeling he is going to step up and deliver. The stage at home would be perfect for Biggar on Saturday.
“He will relish it. His kicking game will be so important in a match where England are likely to go aerially quite a bit.
“There is also the defensive side to consider because England are likely to send Manu Tuilagi down the 10 channel a lot and Biggar is Wales’s best defensive fly-half.”
Warburton also points to the leadership tie-up Biggar has with skipper Alun Wyn Jones and how they could call the shots together in a tight game.
Inside Biggar, Warburton feels Scarlets scrum-half Davies should return as Wales’s third different starting 9 of the tournament.
Tomos Williams held down the role against France, with Aled Davies chosen in Italy.
“In this sort of match, however, experience counts so much, Davies has played in some big England matches and that matters,” writes Warburton.
Of the changes at forward, he says of Ball: “I know he hasn’t played much recently, but you need carriers against England. The other option is to play Adam Beard, who has been a good source of lineout possession, but Wales require Ball’s physicality.
“His work at rucks, where he really punishes people, is valuable.”
Perhaps the biggest surprise is Warburton’s choice of Ospreys prop Smith at loosehead, with Evans on the bench.
But he explains: “He is so good over the ball, as good as many international flankers, a bit like Gethin Jenkins used to be.
“That’s important because England have not been challenged at the breakdown so far. With Smith, Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi, England will have three players who will cause them problems over the ball.”
Warbuton also says he would marginally go for Lewis ahead of Lee as a bench tight-head option “just because against England you need to take a bit of a risk. That means impact off the bench.”
WARBURTON’S WALES TEAM: L Williams; G North, J Davies, H Parkes, J Adams; D Biggar, G Davies; N Smith, K Owens, T Francis; J Ball, A W Jones; J Navidi, J Tipuric, R Moriarty.
REPLACEMENTS: R Evans, E Dee, D Lewis, C Hill, A Wainwright, T Williams, G Anscombe, O Watkin.