England warm up for World Cup with convincing victory over Wales
England Rugby’s World Cup preparations began with a comprehensive 33-19 victory at Twickenham that ended Wales’ 14-Test winning run.
The triumph was delivered against Warren Gatland’s strongest available side which numbered 13 starters from the Grand Slam-clinching victory over Ireland in March and prevented the visitors from climbing to the top of the global rankings.
The team have arrived at HQ ?#WearTheRose pic.twitter.com/cz6k3eRNV1
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) August 11, 2019
An experimental England team established a healthy 24-7 lead through tries by Billy Vunipola, Joe Cokanasiga and Luke Cowan-Dickie that survived touchdowns from George North and Wyn Jones.
George Ford, captain in the absence of Owen Farrell, finished with 15 points in a perfect afternoon from the tee and there was the successful return from a 17-month Achilles injury lay-off for Anthony Watson.
Wales have not won at Twickenham since the last World Cup and never looked like ending that run to spoil the occasion of skipper Alun Wyn Jones becoming his nation’s most capped player.
The rivals’ first Test of the summer was played at a frenetic pace and the physicality took its toll as the outstanding Tom Curry departed in the first half nursing a damaged shoulder and was followed off by Wales playmaker Gareth Anscombe, who had an issue with his right knee.
Curry’s injury was particularly worrying after fellow openside Sam Underhill was withdrawn from the starting XV because of a toe injury.
Underhill was one of three players to pull out on the eve of the match, contributing to a disrupted build-up that also saw Ben Te’o and Mike Brown removed from contention after clashing during a social event in Treviso last week.
But there was no evidence of squad tension as England made a bulldozing start with Vunipola following up a muscular carry with a second that somehow ended with him touching down despite being surrounded by red shirts.
Curry, Cokanasiga and Watson also made early dents and when Curry charged down a sluggish clearance by Gareth Davies, a second try beckoned.
It was almost scored by Willi Heinz and the Gloucester captain should have passed to Jonathan Joseph, but England were just inches short and Cokanasiga drove over.
Watson saved a certain try by scything down Justin Tipuric as Wales staged a thrilling counter-attack through Anscombe and that raid had the effect of stirring the Six Nations champions.
England had a hand in their 24th-minute try, however, as Vunipola and Heinz parted when Davies broke from a scrum near the halfway line and the scrum-half sprinted ahead before evading Elliot Daly to cross.
But for greater accuracy at the final pass, Wales would have scored again as England endured the familiar sight of their early onslaught running out of gas.
A disastrous line-out undid much of the visitors’ good work as Ken Owens sent the ball over the hands of Alun Wyn Jones and into the path of hooker Cowan-Dickie, who scored an opportunist’s try.
The lead grew to 24-7 through a Ford penalty but England were picked apart too easily at a line-out, enabling North to power across the whitewash from short range.
The tide was turning, hastened by England giving away a succession of penalties, and on Wales’ next attack they hustled their way upfield before for replacement prop Wyn Jones to score.
Two further Ford penalties calmed home nerves, but the tempo of the match had dropped noticeably in the final quarter until carries from Vunipola and Manu Tuilagi provided inspiration.
Ben Youngs had a try disallowed for a clear forward pass from Cowan-Dickie, meaning Daly’s drop-goal was the last meaningful act of the afternoon.
– PA
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments