1
Rees-Zammit left out and Faletau recalled for Wales' England clash
Wales boss Wayne Pivac has left out wing Louis Rees-Zammit and recalled number eight Taulupe Faletau for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash against England.
ADVERTISEMENT
Rees-Zammit is replaced by a fit-again Josh Adams, with Alex Cuthbert retained on the other wing and set to win his 50th cap.
Faletau makes his first Wales appearance for 11 months, having proved his fitness following a long-term ankle injury by playing in Bath’s last two Gallagher Premiership matches against Wasps and Leicester.
He returns in a reshaped back-row, with Ross Moriarty switching to blindside flanker and Taine Basham lining up at openside. Jac Morgan, who made his Test debut against Scotland 12 days ago, is on the bench.
Pivac has retained Owen Watkin and Nick Tompkins as his centre combination, while there are call-ups among the replacements for Ospreys fly-half Gareth Anscombe, Scarlets scrum-half Kieran Hardy and Dragons prop Leon Brown.
Players with English clubs are released back to them if they are not involved in a Wales matchday 23, so Gloucester star Rees-Zammit will be available for the Premiership appointment with Leicester on Saturday.
He is one of the most exciting players in European rugby, collecting four tries during last season’s Six Nations and being picked for the British and Irish Lions’ South Africa tour.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 21-year-old has carved out a reputation for scoring dazzling solo tries, which he underlined with a breathtaking touchdown against Fiji during this season’s Autumn Nations Series.
But Cuthbert shone against Scotland, while Adams, who missed that game due to a calf muscle problem, has repeatedly excelled for Wales, with 17 tries in 36 Tests.
Faletau’s most recent Wales outing was against France in the final game of last season’s Six Nations tournament.
Pivac said: “We are very pleased to have the experienced Toby (Taulupe) Faletau back.
“He has trained well during the week and got 80 minutes under his belt last week. From our point of view, he brings a lot of experience.”
ADVERTISEMENT
On the wing selections, Pivac added: “I am really pleased for Alex Cuthbert to get 50 Tests for his country. It is a massive achievement.
“And it is also great to have Josh Adams back from injury. They are two good players.
“That means Louis Rees-Zammit is the unfortunate one this week that misses out.
“But we have looked at the opposition we’re playing and niggly injuries that players pick up from time to time, and we think that in this particular match, the way the game will go, that Alex and Josh are the right selection.”
Wales have not beaten England in the Six Nations at Twickenham since 2012, and both teams need a victory to keep alive their title aspirations.
“They will be tough opposition – they always are – and both teams are still in this competition, so there is a lot at stake,” Pivac said.
“We had a great result against them last year, but we are going to have to play very, very well to get the same result this year.”
Your teams for #ENGvWAL in the Six Nations ? pic.twitter.com/UNBJFr0nGE
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 24, 2022
Wales team to play England at Twickenham on Saturday.
L Williams (Scarlets); A Cuthbert (Ospreys), O Watkin (Ospreys), N Tompkins (Saracens), J Adams (Cardiff); D Biggar (Northampton, capt), T Williams (Cardiff); W Jones (Scarlets), R Elias (Scarlets), T Francis (Ospreys), W Rowlands (Dragons), A Beard (Ospreys), R Moriarty (Dragons), T Basham (Dragons), T Faletau (Bath).
Replacements: D Lake (Ospreys), G Thomas (Ospreys), L Brown (Dragons), S Davies (Cardiff), J Morgan (Ospreys), K Hardy (Scarlets), G Anscombe (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets).
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
50 Go to commentsBar 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.
10 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.
50 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.
3 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
50 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 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
50 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.
50 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.
50 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.
50 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 comments