Rugby World Cup warm-up build-up and updates from Twickenham

All change for Wales, with Warren Gatland nonetheless assessing his World Cup choices and eager to take a look at completely recent mixtures. There’s one other new skipper within the type of Dewi Lake, the approaching man at hooker with an enormous alternative after the damage Ken Owens and the form of combative character who Wales’s subsequent technology would possibly rally round. He’s joined within the pack by first-time starter Taine Plumtree, spectacular on debut off the bench final week and now handed an opportunity to impress at quantity eight.

Centre Joe Roberts is the one debutant within the beginning aspect, combining with Nick Tompkins in midfield, however Tom Rogers is a more moderen face, too, the wing making a primary look in over two years. Energetic midfielder Keiran Williams offers again cowl on the bench and awaits a primary cap; as does loosehead Kemsley Mathias, all however sure to be a fourth prop debutant in two weeks.

There is a late change to the replacements, with Kieran Hardy absent for household causes and Gareth Davies stepping in.

Wales XV: Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (capt.), Tomas Francis; Adam Beard, Rhys Davies; Dan Lydiate, Tommy Reffell, Taine Plumtree; Tomos Williams, Owen Williams; Tom Rogers, Nick Tompkins, Joe Roberts, Josh Adams; Liam Williams.

Replacements: Sam Parry, Kemsley Mathias, Dillon Lewis, Christ Tshiunza, Taine Basham; Gareth Davies, Dan Biggar, Keiran Williams.

Having used final week’s defeat in Cardiff to determine a few shut calls earlier than naming his World Cup squad, Steve Borthwick would appear to have tasked an nearly first-choice group with constructing some momentum at Twickenham immediately. England are fairly near full noise, with Owen Farrell again to captain the aspect at ten and a number of different huge weapons again in enterprise.

Among them is Billy Vunipola, who will characteristic for the primary time beneath Borthwick. His Saracens teammate Ben Earl will win his 16^th England cap however first from the beginning, whereas a brand new wing mixture of Elliot Daly and Henry Arundell ought to present a bit of additional fuel both aspect of Freddie Steward’s pillar of solidity.

There is one member of the 23 who didn’t make the lower on Monday: Ollie Chessum remains to be recovering from his lengthy lay-off after an ankle damage, whereas David Ribbans was taken off final weekend for a head damage evaluation, which implies Jonny Hill should fill the bench lock spot having remained in camp this week.

England XV: Joe Marler, Jamie George, Will Stuart; Maro Itoje, George Martin; Courtney Lawes, Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola; Jack van Poortvliet, Owen Farrell (capt.); Elliot Daly, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Marchant, Henry Arundell; Freddie Steward.

Replacements: Theo Dan, Ellis Genge, Dan Cole, Jonny Hill, Jack Willis; Ben Youngs, George Ford, Max Malins.

Wales gained’t want additional motivation, clearly, however an away win of any variety would drop England to ninth on the World Rugby males’s rankings, their lowest ever place. Let’s take a better have a look at the 2 sides…

This, you would need to say, is should win for England, again at Twickenham for the primary time since France danced to a document victory within the Six Nations. There was treasured little final week to offer England followers optimism forward of the World Cup, and there could be fewer excuses for one more flat efficiency this, with the match squad named and a powerful aspect chosen.

One factor has already malfunctioned at Twickenham immediately: because of a printing error, there aren’t any programmes out there immediately, with a QR code supplied as a substitute.

A little bit of rain blew via southwest London just a little earlier, however it seems to be a pleasing sufficient night for rugby, the forecast clear from now and the temperature nonetheless up within the twenties. After this soggy British summer time, it’s welcome information – there was a way that each England and Wales have been maintaining some golf equipment of their bag final weekend, and this could be a day to indicate off a bit extra of their attacking vary.

England wish to develop their scrum right into a “ruthless” weapon in time for the World Cup as Wales present one other vital take a look at of its progress at Twickenham on Saturday.

A serious enchancment within the scrum was evident in the course of the Six Nations, when it emerged as the simplest within the match simply months after being statistically the worst amongst tier one sides.

It wobbled within the opening Summer Nations match in Cardiff, nevertheless, and England want to bounce again within the second instalment of the double header.

“We want to have a ruthless scrum. England want to scrummage,” scrum coach Tom Harrison stated. “Joe Marler and Dan Cole are in the squad and those two players want to scrummage.

“What we’re working on is if it doesn’t go right or there is a problem, how can we solve it quickly? How can we be so ruthless that if a team tries to do something against us, we can solve the problem?”

Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence might be paired collectively in a potent centre mixture as England assess their midfield permutations for the World Cup.

Head coach Steve Borthwick believes that regardless of broad similarities in taking part in model – each gamers are bodily carriers who run via reasonably than round opponents – they’ll forge an efficient partnership.

It raises the prospect of England getting into the essential opener towards Argentina on September 9 with Tuilagi and Lawrence working outdoors fly-half Owen Farrell.

Lawrence entered the World Cup coaching camp on the again of his breakthrough Six Nations, filling the hard-running position normally carried out by Tuilagi.

“I think they can play together – Manu at 12 and Ollie at 13,” Borthwick stated.

“That was Ollie’s first proper Six Nations, as in being involved every week. He did really well before unfortunately having to go off in the France game with a hamstring injury.

“Ollie brings carry but he’s also a very good defender. He rates exceptionally high as a defender on all the systems we use to analyse performances across the Premiership.

“We know Manu’s strengths and experience and I think they can play together in a specific way.”

The Cardiff quantity eight, who has gained 100 caps, will play no half in Wales’ match warm-up schedule as he continues his restoration from a calf muscle damage.

He just isn’t concerned towards England at Twickenham on Saturday, and has additionally been dominated out of rivalry to face world champions South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday week.

Gatland stated: “Taulupe won’t be available next week.

“He trained pretty well , he is not feeling anything in his calf, so we are pretty confident he is available for selection.”

“Ben is a brilliant player. He’s a game-changing player at times and he’s worked exceptionally hard to have as much impact as he does,” Farrell stated.

“I’m chuffed for him that he’s got a start and I’m excited to see him run out on Saturday.”