RECAP: Wales v England
READERS' FORUM: Welcome to this World Cop warm-up encounter between Wales and England in Cardiff.
England has won seven of their last nine Test matches against Wales, including two wins from three matches at the Principality Stadium in that run. '
Wales has hosted England 12 times at the Principality Stadium. England has averaged 175 tackles per game so far in 2019, more than any other tier one team this year, while Wales boasts the best tackle success rate (89 percent) of any side in the same period.
England has recorded a line-out success rate of 92 percent in Test rugby this year, the best rate of any tier one side in 2019, meanwhile Wales have the lowest rate at the same set piece (79 percent).
George Ford has successfully slotted each of his last 10 kicks at goal for England – including all six attempts against Wales last weekend – his best such run in Test rugby, beating his previous best of nine consecutive kicks in 2015. England’s Billy Vunipola has made 83 carries in Test rugby this year – including 12 against Wales last weekend – more than any other tier one player in 2019, while teammate Elliot Daly has made the second most (64).
Recent results
2019: England won 33-19, London
2019: Wales won 21-13, Cardiff
2018: England won 12-6, London
2017: England won 21-16, Cardiff
2016: England won 27-13, London
2016: England won 25-21, London
2015: Wales won 28-25, London (World Cup pool match)
2015: England won 21-16, Cardiff
2014: England won 29-18, London
2013: Wales won 30-3, Cardiff
Prediction: Has Wales’ bubble burst? That resilience that took them to 14 straight wins seems to have gone. We feel another England win coming on – by 10 points.
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Teams
Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 James Davies, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Captain), 4 Jake Ball, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Aaron Shingler, 20 Josh Navidi, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Owen Watkin.
England: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Ruaridh McConnochie, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Piers Francis, 11 Joe Cokanasiga, 10 George Ford (captain), 9 Willi Heinz, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Lewis Ludlam, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Maro Itoje, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 George Kruis, 20 Jack Singleton, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Manu Tuilagi.
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
Assistant referees: Mathieu Raynal (France), Alexandre Ruiz (France)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)