Wales look to spoil Twickenham return as England face tough test

Eddie Jones’ new-look England face what is perhaps their most pressurised challenge so far this Saturday with the visit of still injury-hit Wales.

Though the victory against South Africa in November and defeat to Scotland were arguably more difficult games, the pressure to win this game is far greater than either of those.

Should England lose here, any lingering title hopes will be gone, and it will leave England with just one non-Italy Six Nations victory since before pandemic restrictions were first introduced back in March 2020.

The hosts were hoping to be bolstered by the return of Manu Tuilagi, but he misses out after a hamstring niggle picked up during training, though Courtney Lawes comes straight in to captain the side.

Charlie Ewels beats Nick Iseikwe to a starting berth in the second row alongside Maro Itoje, while Kyle Sinckler and Luke Cowan-Dickie return to the starting line-up after benching against Italy.

In perhaps the biggest surprise, Harry Randall retains a place in the team, denying Ben Youngs a start in what should be the game he breaks the English caps record held by Jason Leonard by appearing for the 115^th time.

Randall was raised in Wales, and played for their U16s, adding even greater significance to his first home start against a side that will be desperate to produce an upset.

• Team Announcement •

Here's your Wales squad to face England at Twickenham in the third round of the #GuinnessSixNations.

➥Diwrnod arbennig i Alex Cuthbert yn cael ei 50fed cap a dychweliad Taulupe Faletau yn Rhif 8 yn Twickenham.#ENGvWAL

— Welsh Rugby Union 🏉 (@WelshRugbyUnion) February 24, 2022

Bookies have England winning by 13 points, but with the return of Taulupe Faletau, impressive in Bath’s defeat to Leicester last week, and Josh Adams, replacing Louis Rees-Zammit, Wales will feel more than capable of earning a first win at Twickenham since the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Coach Wayne Pivac is hoping his side are able to transfer their impressive home display against Scotland into a win on the road.

He said: “We need to transfer the performance we had in front of our own supporters away at Twickenham.

“That’s the big challenge in front of us. Playing in front of a full house, whether it’s home or away, is an exciting prospect.

“It just adds to the flavour of the match. History would show it’s a hard place to go and get a result but we’re certainly going there with that aim in mind.”

If Wales win, they could climb two places up the World rankings before two home games to come, favourites France followed by 34-match winless Italy.

With victory on Saturday, they will have hopes of recreating their famous 2013 title charge, where they also lost their opening game against Ireland before four straight victories.

England could fall as many as four places with a heavy defeat to Wales but roared on by their first home crowd in the Six Nations since their win against Wales in 2020, they will be hoping to repeat that feat.

They will confirm their starting line-up on Saturday morning, with a decision to be made on whether Elliot Daly or Joe Marchant start at outside centre to replace Tuilagi.

Written by Nick Powell