
Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit shares footage from NFL practice camp
England prepare to take on Wales at Twickenham this afternoon as one of the fiercest rivalries in the Six Nations resumes.
Since 1988, Wales have only celebrated victory at Twickenham on three occasions, and it is more than a decade since they have claimed a Six Nations win at the home of English rugby. However, England have not fared particularly well at home in recent times. Their last three home fixtures were a record defeat to France, a red card for the captain, and a first-ever defeat to Fiji.
Steve Borthwick has stuck with the same starting XV from the first game while Warren Gatland has made changes to his Wales side, including having the instinctive Ioan Lloyd starting at fly half, but it remains to be seen which team will be celebrating victory come 6.45pm.
Follow all the live action from Twickenham in the blog below, and get the latest odds and tips here:
England vs Wales LIVE: Latest Six Nations updates
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Steve Borthwick reveals lift in intensity as England prepare to go on the attack against Wales
The arrival of Wales in southwest London always lifts the intensity, with Borthwick admitting he is having to hold his players back in training given the ferocity with which they have gone after session this week.
Luke Baker10 February 2024 15:10
Wales team news
Wales are boosted by the return of George North, the centre back in the starting side having overcome the injury that forced him to miss out on the opening weekend. Tomos Williams and Ioan Lloyd take over as the starting half-backs after impressing off the bench against Scotland, while a returning Gareth Thomas is part of an all-new starting front row. Alex Mann gets an opportunity on the blindside after James Botham’s injury.
On the bench, young Bath prop Archie Griffin is set for a debut, while Will Rowlands is another welcome returnee having been absent last week.
Wales XV: 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 Keiron Assiratti; 4 Dafydd Jenkins (capt.), 5 Adam Beard; 6 Alex Mann, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Aaron Wainwright; 9 Tomos Williams, 10 Ioan Lloyd; 11 Rio Dyer, 12 Nick Tompkins, 13 George North, 14 Josh Adams; 15 Cam Winnett.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Will Rowlands, 20 Taine Basham; 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Cai Evans, 23 Mason Grady.
Luke Baker10 February 2024 15:00
England team news
For the first time since becoming England head coach, Steve Borthwick is able to select an unchanged starting 15, with the group that secured victory in Rome named again. The lone change to the 23 comes on the bench, where Ellis Genge is fit again having been a late withdrawal against Italy.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is set to win a second cap against the country of his birth, with fellow newbies Ethan Roots, Fraser Dingwall, Chandler Cunningham-South and Fin Smith back for more having made their Test debuts at the Stadio Olimpico.
England XV: 1 Joe Marler, 2 Jamie George (capt.), 3 Will Stuart; 4 Maro Itoje, 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Ethan Roots, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 George Ford; 11 Elliot Daly, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 13 Henry Slade, 14 Tommy Freeman; 15 Freddie Steward.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Chandler Cunningham-South; 21 Danny Care, 22 Fin Smith, 23 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Luke Baker10 February 2024 14:45
How to watch England v Wales
When is England vs Wales?
England vs Wales is due to kick off at 4.45pm GMT on Saturday 10 February at Twickenham.
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on ITV1, with coverage on the channel from 4pm GMT. A livestream will be available via the ITVX platform.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
Luke Baker10 February 2024 14:30
Scotland v France getting underway
Before England take on Wales, there’s another Six Nations clash this afternoon as Scotland host France at Murrayfield.
Scotland are looking to build on their opening narrow win over Wales while France must bounce back from a Marseille humiliation against Ireland.
Harry Latham-Coyle is on hand to guide you through all the action from that one if you click below:
Luke Baker10 February 2024 14:15
The man who holds the key to Wales ending their Twickenham hoodoo
If it’s possible to gain momentum – that all-important concept in elite sport – from a defeat, then Wales should be in good shape heading into the second weekend of the Six Nations.
Yes, they opened their campaign with a loss, and a first loss to Scotland in Cardiff for 22 years at that, but the roaring comeback in the second half of the 27-26 reverse at the Principality Stadium helped build a positive mood at the full-time whistle. They fell agonisingly short of the biggest successful fightback in championship history but by outscoring their opponents 26-0 from the 43rd minute onwards behind a number of stellar individual performances, the springboard is there to leap from.
However, now comes an even greater challenge as this inexperienced Wales side seeks victory over England at Twickenham Stadium – a sort of final frontier for Welsh rugby. The value of momentum will truly be put to the test as the current group aim to succeed where many of their more decorated predecessors have failed.
Luke Baker analyses what the Welsh must do to emerge triumphant at Twickenham:
Luke Baker10 February 2024 14:00
England vs Wales predictions; Six Nations betting tips, rugby odds & free bets
England got their 2024 Six Nations campaign off to a winning start but will be looking for an improved showing when they host Wales this afternoon.
Those bettors who took a very skinny price in the Six Nations odds for England last week would have had a few heart-wrenching moments when they conceded some soft tries as part of a new defensive approach under Felix Jones on the way to a 27-24 win in Rome. But as sports bettors are all too aware, it doesn’t matter how the points are obtained – only how many.
They now return to Twickenham hoping to preserve a seven-game winning streak at home to Wales that continued last summer in a hard-fought World Cup warm-up victory. Rugby betting sites are anticipating the first unchanged England XV since the 2019 World Cup final to notch up a double-digit margin win against a young and inexperienced Welsh side that has opted to reward some of their best second-half performers from last week’s almost miraculous recovery against Scotland.
There’s still work to be done on this England side before they are the finished article and that’s reflected in our England vs Wales predictions.
Luke Baker10 February 2024 13:45
England must reverse concerning trend against Wales in the fixture which means more
England return to Twickenham on Saturday for their first home fixture since last August, their nearest, noisiest neighbours coming charging up the M4 with nostrils aflare, firing up their central heaters and ready to roar in. This fiery, fervid fixture never fails to get the patriotic platelets pumping, a rivalry forged in the furnace of border battles centuries ago still burning strong. For a Welshman or woman, no rugby day matters more; England’s captain was keen to underline that that is true for the men in his ranks, too.
Sonia Twigg10 February 2024 13:30
George Ford: ‘It’s strange without Owen Farrell – but I know there’s a lot more in me’
Being the last man standing in a famous double act can pose problems. Ernie Wise was never the same after Eric Morecambe danced off the stage, Stan Laurel refused to perform after Oliver Hardy’s passing, and Ronnie Corbett struggled significantly after Ronnie Barker said goodnight for good.
“It is a bit strange,” Ford admits as he prepares to take on Wales at Twickenham on Saturday, reflecting of the loss of a kindred spirit after Farrell’s decision to step away from international rugby. Ever since arriving into the England team in their early twenties, it is Farrell and Ford who have set the tactical template, two live rugby minds bringing the best out of one another. “He is rugby-obsessed,” Ford continues. “A lot of the conversations me and him would have would be about rugby, the game at the weekend, about training, the game the previous night.
Sonia Twigg10 February 2024 13:00
England v Wales referee: Who is Six Nations official James Doleman?
James Doleman is the referee for England vs Wales in the 2024 Six Nations.
The New Zealander made his tournament debut during last year’s championship, and has been given the whistle for a significant round two fixture.
Born in Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, Doleman took up officiating while still a student in Dunedin.
He took charge of the final of the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship before becoming a professional referee a year later, overseeing a number of Super Rugby fixtures in 2020.
Sonia Twigg10 February 2024 12:30