OUR SURVEY SAYS... YOUR VIEWS ON THE BIG ISSUES TO ARISE AFTER TWICKENHAM
OUR big England v Wales fans’ online survey gave you the chance to let us know your reaction to all the big talking points – and thousands of you took the opportunity to air your thoughts.
From Joe Marler’s controversial grab at Alun Wyn Jones at the start of the game to Manu Tuilagi’s red card at the end of it, and everything about Wales’ performance in between, here’s what you had to say about the game and where it leaves Wales... QUESTION 1: RATE THE WELSH PERFORMANCE ON SELECTION, ATTACK, DEFENCE, TACTICS AND OVERALL...
THE top line here? A pretty average grade of 58% for the overall Welsh performance. But looking under the bonnet of that score, two stories emerge – a more positive assessment of the Wales selection and attacking display, and significantly worse marks for the team on the tactical and defensive fronts.
Changes to the back row to give Wales more of an edge at the breakdown seem to have played well with the Welsh public, with all three members of that back row scoring some of the highest individual scores (see below for more on that), giving Wayne Pivac a score of 64% for his team selection.
And a second-half display that brought three tries was enough to push at the team’s attacking rating up to 63%, despite long periods of the game when Wales seemed offensively blunt. SELECTION 64%, ATTACKING 63%, DEFENCE 48%, TACTICS 51%, OVERALL 58%
QUESTION 2: RATE THE INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES, STARTING WITH THE BACKS
THERE was one clear winner here, and it was the newest member of the Welsh back division. Nick Tompkins earned a mark of 75% from the Welsh public thanks to a swashbuckling display that blended pace, creativity and physicality. Up against many of his Saracens team-mates, Tompkins was in no mood to be overshadowed, constantly probing for gaps and testing the English defence with his dynamic ball-carrying.
In second place was Dan Biggar, who overcome his nasty-looking knee injury in a try-scoring performance that picked up a score of 69% from those who took part in our survey.
LEIGH HALFPENNY 63%, GEORGE NORTH 62%, NICK TOMPKINS 75%, HADLEIGH PARKES 53%, LIAM WILLIAMS 57%,DAN BIGGAR 69%, TOMOS WILLIAMS 58%
QUESTION 3: RATE THE
FORWARDS
AS mentioned above, it was that back-row display that took the plaudits here, capped off by a swashbuckling, double try-scoring display from the irrepressible Justin Tipuric, including finishing off one of the all-time great Welsh tries. The Ospreys stalwart was Wales’ overall man of the match with a stunning score of 82%, although he was run close by the returning Josh Navidi, who showed no rust from his lack of rugby in 2020 in picking up a rating of 79% for an all-action display of power and mobility.
There was less positivity about Wales’ front-rowers, with the pack’s struggles in the scrum likely behind a set of scores barely creeping out of the 50s.
ROB EVANS 54%, KEN OWENS 60%, DILLON LEWIS 53%, JAKE BALL 58%, ALUN WYN JONES 71%, ROSS MORIARTY 67%, JUSTIN TIPURIC 82%, JOSH NAVIDI 79%
QUESTION 4: RATE THE REPLACEMENTS
ONE clear winner here – and it was the man exiled from the Welsh international scene for so long. Rhys Webb seemed a long way back to his old self in his cameo second-half appearance, with his acceleration and eye for a gap earning him a score of 68%. It was a mark beaten only by Biggar and Tompkins among the starting backs, and 10 percentage points ahead of Tomos Williams, the man he replaced at scrum-half.
Unsurprisingly, that’s led to calls among many for a change at No. 9 against Scotland next weekend.
LEON BROWN 55%, RHYS CARRE 58%, AARON SHINGLER 59%, TAULUPE FALETAU 63%, RHYS WEBB 68%
QUESTION 5: WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS THE MAIN REASON WALES LOST?
WE gave you five options here – Wales’ aimless kicking tactics, Wales’ weak defence for England’s three tries, Ben O’Keefe’s reluctance to show a yellow card despite repeated English penalties, Wales’ inability to match England’s physical approach and Wales not scoring until the 78th minute despite 10 minutes of pressure beforehand in England 22.
And while all the options garnered a reasonable level of support, it was the defensive lapses that ranked as the most popular choice, with 36% of you going for it. It’s understandable why. Wales looked vulnerable every time England reached their 22, with the home team’s three tries representing a significant success