Wesh team named

Ken Owens is the massive weakness here. But can a limited Eng team exploit this to the extent of achieving an unlikely victory (how often have we said that at Twickenham!?)

Can a hooker be protected by his two (top quality) props in a way that an underpowered prop can't be?

What's Owen's throwing like? If he hits his jumpers and Jenkins & Jones carry him in the scrum the rest of the Welsh team looks good enough unless England produce something we've not seen any hints of in the first two games.

Wales by 4-7 points for me

I don't think it's a betting proposition given the referee.

I'm surprised North has made it back. His injury looked like one of those innocuous ones that do some real damage.

Wales have no excuses here. It's still a relatively inexperienced England side with little form behind them and an unbalanced back-row (that I expect to be the main difference between the two). Wales meanwhile only have one injury issue. There wont be better chances to win in Twickenham.

For sure RM. I too thought North's injury was serious. I was at the game and he looked in a lot of discomfort and pain for quite a while.

As to this weekend I dont think Owens' throwing can be worse than Bennett's has been in recent weeks. But he is not a test level player.

I do think we can overcome that. The Key to Wales victory will be variety. We can match Eng all over the park w/o exception I'd say and we just need to keep them guessing and chasing the ball and it should be a rare victory.

7-11 should be doable but we do like to make it hard for ourselves so Im going for 4-6pts.

Owen only has to throw in the general direction of his forwards and that would be an improvement on Bennett to be honest.

Rafa I was at the match too and thought the same as you, maybe the extra week has helped

but my first thought here was that Gatland could be playing games, and that like Warburton in

the Scots game he might be a last minute drop-out

That's quite possible Sewter, so I assume Hook would be in at full-back and Halfpenny to the wing. Either way there's no lack of quality, just a little bit less in terms of directness.

As for Owens, I've quite liked the look of him around the park for the Scarlets. Doesn't look like a physically imposing character though and the English scrum has been going well so that may be an issue. As for the line-outs, well, Wales may as well gamble on them. It's odd to have such a well organised defence and team in general, but such a shabby line-out.

RM if I was the opposing coach I would take WG/SE quotes with a large pinch of salt

some reports said that Warburton did nothing all week and when interviewed pre-match he was in a suit and didnt look like he had just failed a last minute fitness test

my opinion re Hook is that he is fine coming on second half at full back as the game starts to open up. However I also think that if he starts there you can put him under pressure early doors when the game is close

imo this game will revolve around the lineout-if England are allowed to freely kick to touch with a good chance of pinching/disrupting Welsh ball then their game plan becomes simple. On the other hand if Wales can win their own ball those backs look mighty dangerous.

this game still looks close to me and I want to see the England team before betting, to my mind Tuilangi, Lawes and Dickson need to start, i hope Morgan comes on from the bench and i really, really hope Flood is not in the 22

I not only expect Wales to win but to hammer the sh8te out of England ..by how many though?

I'd love it, but can see a very tight match.

so Tuilagi starts. Might get to find out how good he is now. Big day for the lad, will have rampaging Welshmen running at him from literally all angles. Think Baritt may get found out.

Agreed with Sewter here. If Eng are forced to run the ball and play expansively rather than rely on a 50/50 chance of nicking a line out then I think this will be a long day for the men in white. They cant outplay Wales in open field rugby I think most will agree on that.

Wales should really put this Eng team to the sword. but at Twickenham.. I don't think so. Plus being Welsh I simply wont allow myself that level of expectation.

Also agree that North might be a last minute drop out. For what its worth I'd put Byrne in at 15 not Hook, has played well for Clermont this season.

For the record:

England team to face Wales:
15 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), 14 Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints), 13 Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), 12 Brad Barritt (Saracens), 11 David Strettle (Saracens); 10 Owen Farrell (Saracens), 9 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints). 1 Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), 2 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), 3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), 4 Mouritz Botha (Saracens), 5 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers), 6 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), 7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), 8 Ben Morgan (Scarlets)

Replacements:
16 Rob Webber (London Wasps), 17 Matt Stevens (Saracens), 18 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), 19 Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints), 20 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), 21 Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), 22 Mike Brown (Harlequins)

Stuart Lancaster has copped a lot of flak in the media, but I don't think too many England fans could argue with that lineup. No excuses for England this weekend. We'll find out for real if this crop of players are up to standard.

Yes with my fan hat on I am happy to see that team.  Charge down Charlie must be fuming he doesn't even make the bench though.

I doubt they are good enough to beat this current Welsh team but history shows Twickenham rarely sees Eng beaten by many in this comp and I'll stick with 7 or more as being the margin with which Wales could claim a real thumping.

Apparently Hodgson has a finger injury.

Any guys with long betting memories

When was the last time Wales visited twickenham as betting favourites?

Back in the 70's?

Think they were favourites in 1988

Roberts and Davies get to run at an untried partnership then, that could be interesting. At least it's not Hape and Tindall though....

I have no doubt that  they completely deserve to be fav's but just like when Scottland were almost favs against England at Murrayfield, I wondered how they'll cope with their fans and pundits expecting them to win rather than hoping they'll win


Just a nagging suspicion as we get closer to the match, Wales style and flair will suit England just like England suit playnig France while they struggle against Ireland

England can absorb big hits from the backs and will look to turn it into a sluggfest

Dont see Owens as a weakness....he is 4th choice but with depth Welsh have he is no novice!

England imho have totally got it wrong with selections at 12/13 running scared of the physically powerful Welsh backs totally under-estimating they dont just run English style crash ball and that they are absolutely capable of running round any team in the world too!....

Eng side looking alot more like resembling a intl team this time out, it could be close if Eng's defence setup. Farrell at 10 is a good call, a better player than Priestland in my view

How anyone can say Farell is a better international No 10 than Priestland is frankly hysterical....

We'll see

Farrell better than Priestlandto be fair pacrifc also thought Ireland would beat Wales.

Priestland is very average. Ireland would have only for a non-penalty

for gpt - http://www.examiner.ie/sport/rugby/ferris-panel-admitted-ref-got-it-wrong-18...

So, a ref's decision decided the match, feeling more confident about your 'blind faith' system gpt ?

A big step up for Farrell, at least we will see what he is made of.

A very strong Welsh line up, I find it hard to see how England will win this, & I cannot see the 1.70 lasting, as England are going to have to play their best game in a long while to go three of three, & Wales are going to have to misfire quite a lot, which they are unlikely to do.

Hook is out, Stephen Jones replacing him on the bench. Not a major issue imho but Wales lose fair bit of versatility and impact that Hook offers, esp if the game is tight after 60 mins....

even more interesting (and important) if North isnt 100% fit-i will only believe he is playing when they kick off

Could be some big hits in midfield with Davies and Roberts charging into the 'English' pairing of Tuilagi and Barritt.

pacrifc you are a typical Irishman,I used to do a lot of racing in Ireland and they are the sorest losers I have ever come across and you fit the bill exactly.
Blind faith pmsl,I'm the one that gets the results right you always seem to be wrong

PMSL at all this Tuilagi/Bariit crap....

They are nowhere near the attacking force that Davies and Roberts are and are totally one dimensional....

By the time they get near Roberts or Davies the Taffs will either have gained 30 yards or more likely Cuthbert and/or North and the ball will be heading fast for the try line....

gpt - you're the one that arrives with the childish posts if anyone says anything other than Wales are great, you never actually post anything about rugby.

You're generalistic view is you're own choice, I just posted that Barnes said that he got it wrong, it happens. That doesn't sit well with you and you've obviously nothing to say on the subject, either do I for that matter and I thought Wales deserved their win, Ireland had their chance to win it being 8 pts up with less that 5 mins to go.

Pacific,

The forumite bettingonice might have been before your time on here.  GPT is eeriely reminiscent of him in his constant anti-Irish vitriol and may well be a reincarnation, though to date he remains relatively harmless.

I believe that bettingonice recieved a lifetime ban (despite the unreserved support of a rather prominent present day forumite ).

It turned out that bettingonice had been in the military and had served in Northern Ireland which explained some of his malice.

ICBD, I know the type, a fruit and nut case that gave up everything for Lizzy and country but they know deep down who really fupped them over

Feb 23, 2012 -- 4:55PM, GPT wrote:

Farrell better than Priestlandto be fair pacrifc also thought Ireland would beat Wales.

What do you reckon now gpt ?

The same one swallow doesn't make a summer paddyand England lost so you got that wrong again

I think you'll find I say Wales would win, before the match and at halftime.

Enjoy the Triple Crown !