Host nation England kicked off its Rugby World Cup campaign on the right foot with victory over Fiji. However, it was hardly a convincing performance from the Red Rose, who now face a much tougher test in the form of neighboring Wales.
The Welsh are currently the walking wounded after suffering even more injuries in their win over Uruguay. But despite those injury concerns, the Dragons will pose significant danger to the hosts’ chances of escaping Pool A.
Read on for our preview of this All-British affair at Twickenham. And for more of Saturday’s World Cup action, check out our preview of South Africa vs. Samoa.
England’s World Cup campaign on home soil began with a favorable outcome – the hosts won 35-11 against Fiji – but it didn’t come from a favorable performance. The English were particularly sluggish in the scrums, as they lost three against the head to a Fiji front-row that lacked any big stars.
[sc:Other240banner ]As a result, the game was still relatively close until the final minutes, until England finally pulled away with two late tries to earn a bonus point for scoring four tries in the match.
England will have to significantly raise their game to face Wales, and the inclusion of Sam Burgess and Billy Vunipola – two of the team’s standout performers against Fiji – in the starting lineup should help.
Vunipola, who scored the crucial fourth try, will likely start ahead of No. 8 Ben Morgan, who’s set to miss the match with a minor knee injury. Fly-half George Ford will be dropped in favor of Owen Farrell, while Burgess is set to start alongside Brad Barritt in place of the injured centre Jonathan Joseph. Flanker James Haskell will step up to the bench to face Wales. Three of his four Test tries have been against Wales.
England have won the last two meetings between the two sides, including last year’s 29-18 win at Twickenham.
Wales recorded a convincing 54-9 win in its World Cup opener against Uruguay, but it came at quite a cost.
With Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Webb and Eli Walker already ruled out due to injury in the build-up to the tournament, five more Welsh players – Samson Lee, Liam Williams, Paul James, Alun Wyn Jones and Aaron Jarvis –sustained injuries in their first match.
Center Cory Allen, who scored three of the team’s eight tries against the South Americans, was the biggest loss, with a hamstring strain ruling him out for the remainder of the World Cup. But while props Lee and James are still questionable to be fit for England, Williams and Jones have been passed fit to play.
Despite the mounting injury concerns, Warren Gatland’s side should not be underestimated. The Welsh have grabbed three of the last five meetings against England, including a win at Twickenham three years ago. And despite being a 9.5-point underdog, Wales could make it four in six as it goes up against a completely new and untested England midfield.
Writer’s Prediction
England ekes out the 23-19 win, but Wales (+9.5) covers the spread comfortably.
