Make England pay Price
Calcutta Cup showdown with England at Twickenham on Saturday.
0 Billy Vunipola, left, is likely to replace Nathan Hughes at No 8. scrum-half Ben Youngs, centre Jonathan Joseph and wing Jack Nowell are recalled alongside Vunipola.
The whiteboard also displayed some tactical notes beneath the words “Beat Scotland”, including “Play From LO (Maul)” in reference to driving off the lineout.
Forwards coach Steve Borthwick, however, insists the information revealed is not especially valuable.
“There’s nothing significant in it at all. In training we go through all different kinds of permutations, different combinations of players,” Borthwick said.
“As coaches, we like to watch players together, to see what works well.”
Vunipola completed 72 minutes of his comeback match for Saracens against Newcastle last Sunday and England will welcome back their most dangerous ball-carrier, who has been sorely missed so far in this Six Nations.
“Billy looks in very good shape and has worked tremendously hard,” Borthwick said.
“In him and Nathan we have two fantastically powerful number eights who give us options in the position.”
Scotland have not prevailed at Twickenham since 1983, but, after strong victories over Ireland and Wales, confidence is running high.
“Scotland are a good team. We had a great week’s preparation in Oxford last weekend and the first half of this week has so far been excellent,” Borthwick said.
“We will have to be at our best playing against them. They have some real strengths in their pack and across their team. They’re a smart team.” Wales coach Rob Howley has offered his players a chance for redemption by naming an unchanged team to face Ireland in Cardiff tomorrow night.
Despite Wales suffering a first defeat at Scotland’s hands for ten years last time out, Howley will send the same starting XV and replacements into battle when Ireland arrive on RBS Six Nations duty.
It is a selection that might surprise many pundits and supporters, but interim head coach Howley said: “As coaches, we discussed giving the opportunity to the side to redeem themselves for the second-half performance against Scotland.
“There were too many unforced errors in our game from 40 to 55 minutes, after a really dominant first half on the back of one of the best games in the Six Nations against England. Obviously, I know things have been said in the week about some players’ performance. But as a coaching team, we have talked about the opportunity just to go out again.
“There is an opportunity to go out at home in front of our own supporters and deliver a performance which the players are proud of and for the supporters to support that. It will be a huge game.”
Bath forwards Taulupe Faletau and Luke Charteris, who had been tipped in some quarters to start, again feature among the replacements. Openside flanker Justin Tipuric will win his 50th cap, packing down alongside backrow colleagues Sam Warburton and Ross Moriarty.
A number of Wales players came under an intense media spotlight following a second-half implosion in Edinburgh when Scotland scored 20 unanswered points.
If Wales lose on Friday, it will be the first time since 2007 for them to suffer three successive defeats in one Six Nations campaign, while losses in both remaining fixtures against Ireland and France would put them outside the top-ranked eight nations for May’s 2019 World Cup draw.
Ireland have also named an unchanged starting XV.
The sole change to the matchday 23 that saw off France 19-9 in Dublin sees Andrew Trimble miss out through a hand problem. He will miss the rest of the Six Nations and Tommy Bowe comes on to the bench.
WALES
V IRELAND
0 Taulupe Faletau had been tipped to start for Wales against Ireland but will have to be content with a place on the bench. Scotland women’s coach Shade Munro has made four changes to the side that beat Wales for Saturday’s match against England at Twickenham Stoop. There are two new faces in the starting XV and another two on the bench.
Lichfield forward Sarah Bonar will make her first start following five caps off the bench at second-row. She will shift to the back row where she will be joined by Jemma Forsyth, who is at No 8 in place of the injured Jade Konkel.
Coming on to the bench are Murrayfield Wanderers’ Rachael Cook and Hillhead Jordanhill’s Abi Evans.
Munro said: “The win against Wales gave the squad a massive boost. We are under no illusion how difficult England are going to be given they are top of the table having won all their games in this year’s Championship, but I have every faith our players will rise to the challenge.”