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Imagine a news story that is so big it overshadows Christmas. Something so controversial, so impactful to everyones lives, that the most universally celebrated occasion of the year becomes a mere afterthought. That’s where Welsh rugby is right now.
For Christmas, read Wales vs England in the Six Nations - by far the biggest game on the calendar for Welsh fans. Their most hated (and hate is the correct word) rivals in the most historic competition that sees interest in rugby shoot through the roof for 6 weeks. This year? Just another Saturday.
Part of this is down to the Wales team’s dismal, record-breakingly awful form over the past 2 or 3 years, but most of it is down to the chaotic and miserable reforms the WRU are pushing through which currently look likely to result in the death of professional rugby in the country’s 2nd biggest city. This bitter and ugly battle escalated yet again this week as Swansea City Council announced its intention to take the sport’s governing body to court. Updates are expected to come thick and fast over the next few weeks, further overshadowing the Six Nations.
However, if we are to wrench ourselves away from the turmoil currently ruining our enjoyment of the national sport, what should we expect from Wales at Twickenham on Saturday? Well, a win is so unexpected that, if Wales are leading going into the 79th minute, cardiac units across the UK should be placed on red alert. A brave, battling defeat? That would represent significant progress. The fact is that in Wales last Six Nations away game they were 35-8 down within 50 minutes against Scotland. Since then, they have suffered humiliating defeats to Japan, England and South Africa - each of which proved that rock bottom is quite a lot deeper than any of us previously imagined.
England, by contrast, are soaring to new heights. Having spent 2024 messing around with a combinations that didn’t work and a sub-optimal coaching ticket, Borthwick has cracked his own code and is picking a team capable of executing the game plan he wants to play. The 22 entries are coming thick and fast and the tries are starting to flow. The expectation is that a fair few of them will flow against Wales - it’s just a question of how many.
So, if we accept Wales are to lose this game by a hefty margin, is there any way they can come out of this game with positives? Firstly, some form of defensive tenacity is a must. It is important to remember that Steve Tandy built his CV off being a good defensive coach - time to see some evidence of that. In November, pundits said Wales scoring more tries was a sign of process. The fact that they were scoring them whilst already 3 scores down against heavily rotate opposition was glossed over. Therefore, to concede 7 or 8 tries but score 3 or 4 of their own no longer constitutes success; they must frustrate and thwart English attacks and keep the 22m entry conversion rate against down below 3 or 4.
Elsewhere, the set piece must be at least credible. That doesn’t mean 100% scrum success on their own put-in, which is easily achievable these days as referees are told to take pity on retreating scrums, but means holding fast and even asking questions of the opposition on their put-in. Stealing a line out would be nice, too - something Wales failed to do in over 50 attempts during November.
Most of all, though, we need to see players assert themselves on the pitch. Too often, some Wales players have been happy to be anonymous; happy to dodge the ball, avoid risks, make no mistakes and take no blame afterwards. ‘Tidy’ and ‘solid’ have become bywords for ‘didn’t really do anything’. The only way Wales move forward is by players taking on big moments, backing their own skills and being willing to take a risk. ‘Quietly doing a job’ is not what Wales needs - in these dark times, where uncertainty rules and the prevailing emotion is apathy, they need heroes.
England Starting XV (1-15) Joe Marler, Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Courtney Lawes, Mark Wilson, Tom Curry, Ben Youngs, George Ford, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Manu Tuilagi, Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly
England Replacements (16-23) Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Joe Launchbury, Charlie Ewels, Ben Earl, Willi Heinz, Henry Slade
Wales Starting XV (1-15) Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Dillon Lewis, Jake Ball, Alun Wyn Jones, Ross Moriarty, Justin Tipuric, Josh Navidi, Tomos Williams, Dan Biggar, Liam Williams, Hadleigh Parkes, Nick Tompkins, George North, Leigh Halfpenny
Wales Replacements (16-23) Ryan Elias, Rhys Carre, Leon Brown, Aaron Shingler, Taulupe Faletau, Rhys Webb, Jarrod Evans, Johnny McNicholl
