Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

England player ratings vs Wales

By Alex Shaw
England get into a huddle at the half time whistle during the Under Armour Summer Series match between Wales and England at Principality Stadium on August 17, 2019 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

After the highs of their win at Twickenham, England were brought back to earth with hard-fought 13-6 loss to Wales at the Principality Stadium.

ADVERTISEMENT

George North’s try towards the end of the first half was the difference in the match, although Eddie Jones will be relatively pleased with the uptick in performance from his side after the interval.

We have rated all 23 of England’s players in Cardiff, as they went down to a resurgent Welsh side.

  1. Elliot Daly5.5

Tested in the air early by Wales, with the full-back grabbing one contested ball and coughing up another. Identified a nice mismatch on the counter-attack against Tomas Francis but wasn’t able to consistently hurt Wales as an attacking force. Brought reliable kicking relief from within the 22.

  1. Anthony Watson5.5

Pinged and yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on towards the end of the first half, which cost England as Wales went quickly and scored a try on Watson’s vacated wing. Dealt much better with the aerial contest in the second half and had a decent foray down the wing, supporting Jamie George’s break.

https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1162730946816352256?s=20

  1. Jonathan Joseph6

The Bath centre couldn’t quite find the space in Wales’ defence that he did last week, although his line-speed helped restrict the home side’s attack.

  1. Piers Francis6.5

After impressing in defence at Twickenham, Francis looked livelier as a carrier in Cardiff, having some joy cutting back against the grain. Flashes of what he could offer in place of Ben Te’o’s physical presence.

  1. Joe Cokanasiga5

The wing struggled with some of the aerial balls that came his way, missing one that should have been his and spilling a contested ball in the first half. He was busy off his wing, stepping up as a first receiver a number of times, although didn’t enjoy the carrying success he did a week before.

  1. George Ford5.5

Not quite the control with the boot Ford would have liked, including a kick out on the full with a cross kick deep inside Wales’ territory. He was successful with both of his kicks at goal and made way for Manu Tuilagi at around the 60-minute mark.

  1. Willi Heinz6

The scrum-half showed good control early on with both the boot and tempo from the ruck. Passed more regularly from the ruck than he did a week before, although coughed up a turnover in Welsh territory before leaving the pitch for a HIA late in the first half.

  1. Ellis Genge5.5

Genge didn’t quite have the same scrum success he did a week previously and Wales starved England of possession in the first half, limiting his role as a ball-carrier. He was replaced by Joe Marler not long into the second half.

  1. Luke Cowan-Dickie6

Missed his first lineout but connected with the three following ones. He couldn’t quite have the attacking impact he would have wanted, but his efficiency and physicality in the tackle, with a low chopping technique, was influential for England.

  1. Dan Cole5.5

Strong scrum to start the game, although lost his bind repeatedly after that as the Welsh scrum came back into the game. Solid fringe defence.

  1. Joe Launchbury6

An industrious showing before being replaced by George Kruis. Helped England disrupt the Welsh maul and got through a lot of work close to the ruck.

  1. Maro Itoje6.5

The lock didn’t have the attacking influence he is capable of, although his defensive work was typically effective, not least so his second half intercept. Alongside Launchbury, he did a good job of disrupting Wales’ maul and he was physical and efficient in the tackle, even when chasing and hunting down Wales’ back three.

  1. Courtney Lawes6

Offered a reliable lineout target and profited repeatedly on the gain-line as a tackler. A frustrating spilled ball in the second half summed up the attacking influence he was able to have, though.

https://twitter.com/EnglandRugby/status/1162743382063685632?s=20

  1. Lewis Ludlam6.5

Missed an important clear-out early which handed possession back to Wales, before growing into the game, including ripping a ball in the contact. He got through plenty of work as part of England’s chop-heavy tackling approach and grabbed his second turnover with his work on the ground.

  1. Billy Vunipola7

Vunipola provided England with a relatively consistent source of gain-line success and was eager and precise with his offloads. Coughed up an unnecessary turnover running in high and being held up in a maul, although it was fairly isolated in another strong outing.

Replacements

  1. Jamie George7.5

The hooker offered real impact off the bench, successfully connecting with all six of his lineouts, sparking a big blindside break and carrying effectively in a busy showing.

  1. Joe Marler6

Helped swing the tight scrum contest in England’s favour after his arrival and was physical around the fringes.

  1. Kyle Sinckler6

Added to England’s pack’s playmaking ability with soft hands to shift the point of contact. Tackled manfully, although put boot to ball when a potential overlap was on.

  1. George Kruis6

Put himself about, although with England having already had three locks on the pitch, didn’t offer something different as they attempted to take momentum away from Wales.

  1. Jack Singletonn/a

Came on too late to have an impact.

  1. Ben Youngs6

His support of George’s break nearly brought a try and he looked lively, trying to take a couple of tap penalties, only to be called back by the referee.

  1. Owen Farrell6

Won a late turnover and had an incisive run to put England in position to grab a try, although they couldn’t finish the move.

  1. Manu Tuilagi6

Had a couple of physical tackles, although there was little opportunity for him to influence the game in attack.

Watch: The Rugby Pod react to England’s Rugby World Cup squad

ADVERTISEMENT
Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Diamond demands law change while accusing Tigers of illegal activity Diamond demands law change while accusing Tigers of illegal activity
Search