HDo you feel it too? Maybe only once or twice a week, maybe just for the briefest of moments, but still inevitable – and need to be reminded of the renewed hostilities between England and Wales on Saturday. While there were half-hearted efforts to fan the flames, fan the flames and start a war of words, it’s hard to remember anything more peaceful than this historic game.
For many people this isn’t a problem at all, but you wouldn’t know that in the first place. Twickenham is sold out and there will be time to pause and remember two of the Welsh greats of yesteryear, Barry John and JPR Williams. There will be stirring performances of the national anthem and there will be tears.
But strip away the noise, the narrative, and the sense of drama, and what are we left with? Two second-tier Six Nations teams set out at the start of the World Cup cycle. Given that he has appeared in this Six Nations match for the 15th time in a row, does it even count if Alun Wyn Jones doesn’t play?
Jones also didn’t play in this game two years ago, but his absence wasn’t the only one that was keenly felt. Owen Farrell, Dan Beagle, Liam Williams and Kyle Sinckler are just the names synonymous with this recent feud, both good and bad. England’s spy Joe Marler is on the move, but you get the sense that whatever his motivations were for grabbing Jones’ genitals four years ago, he won’t be forced to do something similar again. Everything is different, and when Jamie George says, “I think I’m definitely going to miss Aaron Wayne, you get the feeling he’s not entirely kidding.”
Not so long ago, Eddie Jones and Warren Gatland were thriving in weeks like this. Watching them take turns hurling lobs isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but both understand their responsibility to entertain people over the course of seven weeks as a sport that exists in the shadow of football gets its chance to shine Extraordinary and brilliant.
This week, however, the Six Nations bingo card remains empty. There were roof riots in Wales last week and no one mentioned the Brynglas Tunnel, so it’s a safe bet the team bus won’t get a headbutt.
All of which raises the question of whether the age-old rivalry is still relevant in this purer era, when no one is taking anyone’s coal, water or steel. Wales captain Dafydd Jenkins admitted this week that there is a sense of familiarity among the players, with fellow players Henry Slade, Ethan Lutz and Emmanuel Faye-Waboso all Exeter teammates. Even friendship.
There was a time when England fans would have struggled with a 3-0 win over Wales, but now fans at Twickenham are expecting more in return – and it’s no surprise that tickets cost well over £150 – — and Steve Borthwick’s side have found retaining their followers happy with a tricky feat of late. Home games have become a liability as they have won just three of their last 10 games at Twickenham, so holding back on that form while rekindling that connection with supporters has been a priority for them this week ’s primary agenda, rather than the overstatement about killing the Welsh dragon.
Yet competition finds a way to persist. Gatland once again recalled a conversation he had with Neil Jenkins regarding Cardiff-born Fay Waboso’s decision to choose England over Wales this week. Gatland had previously revealed that Jenkins was not happy with the young winger’s decision and he addressed the topic again on Thursday. “I love that, I just think that’s the pride you get as a Welshman,” he said. “If you don’t want to be Welsh, get out.”
It doesn’t exactly point out what these bastards did to Wales, but it taps into the national pride that sustains the game.
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That persisted for Borthwick, too. “My first game at Twickenham was in 1996,” he recalls. “It was England Under-16 Schoolboys against Wales Schoolboys. The rivalry started from there. I remember England v Wales, the last game of the Six Nations Under-18 level. That was at Narber It was on a pitch in Wales that had quite a slope. We won the Grand Slam that year with a dropped ball. I remember the referee was looking at the sun but he couldn’t see it. But the Welsh full-back swore and let him know the ball had gone through the door. Pillar, kicked down by Jonny, won the Grand Slam.
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Kellan Dorris captains Ireland for the first time
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Keiran Doris will captain Ireland for the first time in Sunday’s Six Nations clash with Italy in Dublin.
The 25-year-old, who moved from the No. 8 role to the flank, was chosen to captain the starting XV, which featured six personnel changes from last Friday’s 38-17 first-round win over France.
Munster half-back Craig Casey will make his fourth Test start, while center Stuart McCloskey, prop Finley Billam, lock James Ryan and back rower Ryan ·Baird and Jack Kernan will also play.
Regular captain Peter O’Mahony, who missed training earlier this week, is one of four senior stars to rest over the weekend, along with Tadeg Furlong, Tadeg Beirne and Bundy Aki . Jamison Gibson-Parker and 2022 World Footballer of the Year Josh van der Flier sit on a much-shuffled bench that also includes flyback Harry Byrne and versatile defender Jordan Larmour.
Tight end Billam, who becomes a father this week, joins loose prop Andrew Porter and hooker Dan Sheehan in the front row, while Joe McCarthy will join recalled Leinster team-mate Ryan in the second Platoon, Ryan had a great performance in the last game. Marseille.
Jack Crowley continues in the front half, forming a partnership with his provincial teammate Casey, whose last two starts were also against Italy. Ulster’s McCloskey links up with Robbie Henshaw in midfield, with wingers James Lowe and Calvin Nash and defender Hugo Keenan remaining unchanged in the back three. AP average
H Keenan (Leinster); C Nash (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster), S McCloskey (Ulster), J Lowe (Leinster); J Crowley (Munster) ), C Casey (Munster); A Porter (Leinster), D Sheehan (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), J McCarthy (Leinster), J Ryan (Leinster) ), R Baird (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster, Capt), J Conan (Leinster).
alternatives: R Kelleher (Leinster), J Loughman (Munster), T O’Toole (Ulster), I Henderson (Ulster), J Van der Flier (Leinster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster) (Leinster), H Byrne (Leinster), J Larmour (Leinster)
“From a very young age, players have played against each other and it’s been an incredible rivalry. This week the incredible Welsh rugby legend sadly passed away and you’ll see what’s going on in this game Great history, this is the next step for it. We have a young team that will take the next step in football history.”
In other words, this competition will continue forever. The stage has been set. It’s time for a new protagonist to appear.
