Tuilagi’s inclusion could counter ‘Warrenball’ tactics
EDDIE JONES must decide this week whether to gamble by recalling Manu Tuilagi or risk being bullied by Wales’s midfield battering rams at Twickenham on Saturday.
With Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies weighing a combined 216kg – more than 32kg more than England’s combination of Owen Farrell and Jonathan Joseph – the England coach knows his side could be overrun by Wales’s midfield bruisers.
Tuilagi, a man mountain at 1.8m and 108kg, trained with England last week and started for Leicester yesterday in their Premiership clash with Exeter Chiefs. The Samoan-born wrecking ball has been injured for much of the past 15 months and has been restricted to just five games for the Tigers.
Tuilagi has played two full games back to back and, if he comes through today unscathed, Jones will consider playing him.
His return, potentially at No 12 in place of Farrell, would beef up England’s backline as they prepare themselves for the notorious Warrenball tactics, which forced former coach Stuart Lancaster into the panic selection of Sam Burgess in the World Cup pool defeat last year.
With 102kg winger George North, Wales’ three-quarters have an average 10kg-a-man advantage over England’s.
Former Wales wing Shane Williams said: “I’m sure George Ford will be doing a lot of extra defence training in the lead-up because he knows exactly where Jamie Roberts is coming from.
“There’s only one route and that’s direct. I just think Wales need to be cleverer there by attacking Farrell and Joseph a bit wider out. Get it wider and away from the forwards and play with quick ball. But we all know where Jamie’s coming from and it’s going to take two guys to stop him. Wales are probably the most physical team in defence and attack and they pride themselves on that.
“We probably won’t see much difference in how they attack against England. They are going to target Farrell and Ford.
“But they have to realise England’s defence has been superb in the Six Nations.
“They’re very well organised in that area and they’ll be more than capable of defending straight-line running as they have all Six Nations.”
England’s defence has been outstanding under the guidance of former Saracens coach Paul Gustard, with last week’s try by Ireland’s Conor Murray – when England flanker James Haskell was in the sin bin – the only one conceded in three games. With nine tries scored, they have also had the most effective attacking game and Williams believes Jones should persevere with Farrell and Ford.
“I think Farrell and Ford are going extremely well at the moment,” he said. “The way forward in rugby union, espe- cially at international level, is by having two receivers and distributors at (No) 10 and 12. It’s working for England. It will be interesting to see the change of dynamic if Tuilagi is fit and they want to bring him back into the squad.
“They’ve got so many options in the centre there at the moment. I think they’re in a fantastic position. The likes of (Luther) Burrell can come in and Joseph’s playing exceptionally well. They’re in a fantastic position with such strength in depth.
“Unfortunately Wales haven’t got that comfort in the centre. They’ve got Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies who are playing exceptionally well but if Jamie Roberts goes down injured it could be panic buttons all round.”
England have recent experience of taking on giant backlines and winger Anthony Watson, a mere 1.8m and 89kg, did an excellent job of marking Fiji’s Nemani Nadolo, who at 1.8m and 127kg is the biggest-ever international three-quarter.
“He is probably the biggest person I have ever played against, so that fills you with a bit of confidence,” said Watson.
With six of the last 11 encounters between Wales and England won by the away side, Gatland’s men will fancy their chances of derailing their opponents’ grand slam chariot in London but Williams says the visitors’ World Cup victory there will have little bearing on this match.