OT -England team announced

[mike909]

England starting XV
15 Elliot Daly (Saracens, 42 caps)
14 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 42 caps)
13 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 42 caps)
12 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 82 caps) C
11 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 55 caps)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 68 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 98 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 70 caps)
2 Jamie George (Saracens, 48 caps)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 34 caps)
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, 37 caps)
5 George Kruis (Saracens, 44 caps)
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 84 caps)
7 Mark Wilson (Sale Sharks, 18 caps)
8 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 22 caps)

Finishers
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 23 caps)
17 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)
18 Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 2 caps)
19 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 64 caps)
20 Charlie Ewels  (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)
21 Ben Earl (Saracens, 2 caps)
22 Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby, 12 caps)
23 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 28 caps)

Good to see Watson back - prefer at 15 mind!

Also Wilson in the back row

Its funny that Wasps have a better back row than England these days!

[DGP Wasp]

Its funny that Wasps have a better back row than England these days!

Helped by the fact that Wasps prefer to play people in their customary positions!

[mike909]

Its funny that Wasps have a better back row than England these days!

Helped by the fact that Wasps prefer to play people in their customary positions!

Indeed - I certainly wouldn't complain if Curry was 7, Wilson was 6 and an 8 was 8.....but if we put out Carr, Shields and Willis/Young, its right up there with any backrow!

[wasps]

Hasn't Wilson played 8 for England a number of times previously?

Eddie sticking to his guns?

[mike909]

He's certainly packed down at 8, and plays for Sale.....as for Jones, who knows!

[welsh wasp]

An appropriate & amusing comment on the Rugby Business Network:
"Please note that to honour England's ongoing back row selections, the Scrum Bar Band will feature a drummer on guitar, a guitarist on keys, a bassist on drums and a keys player on bass. It'll be fine though - all great players."

[coddy]

To play

Wales: 15-L Williams; 14-North, 13-J Davies, 12-Parkes, 11-Adams; 10-Anscombe, 9-G Davies; 1-R Evans, 2-Owens, 3-Francis, 4-Hill, 5-AW Jones (capt), 6-Navidi, 7-Tipuric, 8-Moriarty.

Replacements: 16-Dee, 17-Smith, 18-Lewis, 19-Beard, 20-Wainwright, 21-A Davies, 22-Biggar, 23-Watkin.

Shame for Rowlands, not sure whether he is not fit enough or just not selected.