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Recap: Wales v England LIVE | Summer Series

Josh Adams (left) and Owen Watkin react following Wales' defeat last Sunday (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Follow all the action from the World Cup warm-up match live on RugbyPass as Wales host England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

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Keep up to date with the latest score, stats and join the conversation anywhere in the world from in our Live Match Centre (click here).

Here are four talking points – written by Andrew Baldock of the Press Association – ahead of this second World Cup warm-up clash, the return fixture in Cardiff following England’s 33-19 victory at Twickenham last weekend.

Injuries an occupational hazard

Neither Wales nor England are yet halfway through their four-game competitive World Cup preparation schedules, and the spectre of injuries is never far away. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Lhl9SoCih/

Wales have already lost fly-half Gareth Anscombe (knee) and No8 Taulupe Faletau (broken collarbone) from their tournament plans, while England had a brief scare last Sunday when flanker Tom Curry went off due to a shoulder issue. 

All Eddie Jones and his opposite number Warren Gatland can do is keep their fingers crossed.

Wales forwards need to bounce back

Wales delivered an uncharacteristically poor performance in the set-piece exchanges last weekend, encountering problems in the scrum and seeing a misdirected lineout throw by hooker Ken Owens gift his opposite number Luke Cowan-Dickie a try just before half-time. 

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Apart from call-ups for lock Jake Ball and flanker James Davies, it is the same eight on Saturday that started at Twickenham, and the Six Nations champions know they cannot afford a repeat showing.

Brothers in arms

It will be a red-letter day for the Davies brothers – centre Jonathan and flanker James – when they become the first siblings to start together for Wales since Jamie and Nicky Robinson 13 years ago. 

Jonathan is seemingly a nailed-on World Cup squad selection, but James has a golden opportunity to press his claims for further recognition in a back row department where Wales have enviable strength. It will be only his fourth cap, and a first Wales appearance since June last year.

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Warm-up Test in name only

Saturday’s game is a pre-season encounter ahead of the far bigger World Cup picture, with rugby union’s global extravaganza starting in Japan on September 20. But Wales versus England in front of more than 70,000 fans at the Principality Stadium is inevitably greater than its friendly billing. 

It might not be a Six Nations or World Cup Test match, yet that will not detract one bit from what is certain to be a full-blown contest in front of an expectant audience.

WALES: 15. Leigh Halfpenny (81 caps), 14. George North (84), 13. Jonathan Davies (74), 12. Hadleigh Parkes (16), 11. Josh Adams (11), 10. Dan Biggar (71), 9. Gareth Davies (42), 1. Nicky Smith (29), 2. Ken Owens (65), 3. Tomas Francis (41), 4. Jake Ball (Scarlets), 5. Alun Wyn Jones – captain (126), 6. Aaron Wainwright (9), 7. James Davies (3), 8. Ross Moriarty (32). Reps: 16. Elliot Dee (19), 17. Wyn Jones (13), 18. Dillon Lewis (13), 19. Aaron Shingler (18), 20. Josh Navidi (16), 21. Aled Davies (17), 22. Jarrod Evans (1), 23. Owen Watkin (14).

ENGLAND: 15. Elliot Daly (31 caps), 14. Anthony Watson (34), 13. Jonathan Joseph (41), 12. Piers Francis (5), 11. Joe Cokanasiga (5), 10. George Ford – captain (56), 9. Willi Heinz (1), 1. Ellis Genge (10), 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (12), 3. Dan Cole (86), 4. Joe Launchbury (59), 5. Maro Itoje (27), 6. Courtney Lawes (72), 7. Lewis Ludlam (1), 8. Billy Vunipola (42).Reps: 16. Jamie George (37), 17. Joe Marler (59), 18. Kyle Sinckler (22), 19. George Kruis (33), 20. Jack Singleton (1), 21. Ben Youngs (86), 22. Owen Farrell (70), 23. Manu Tuilagi (33 caps).

WATCH: Wales boss Warren Gatland talks to the media ahead of Saturday’s match in Cardiff

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J
JW 15 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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