Two sides looking to maintain their unbeaten starts to the
2019 Six Nations will meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.
Eddie Jones’ England have already beaten majority favourites
Ireland in their own back yard in round one, and swept aside France two weeks
ago at Twickenham.
Meanwhile Wales, led by Warren Gatland, produced a remarkable
comeback to scrape past the French in Paris, and stumbled to victory over Italy
with a much-changed side.
With both sides’ prospects of a Grand Slam on the line, this historic rivalry looks set to be reignited once again.
Ahead of this monumental clash, we’ve taken a look at some of the key battles where this game could be won and lost.
Rob Evans vs Ben Moon
With Mako Vunipola injured, Ben Moon is one of two enforced
changes for England. He will take on the returning Rob Evans at loosehead, who
was seemingly ‘rested’ for Wales’ game against Italy.
Moon has played just 37 minutes so far this campaign; during
the emphatic victory over France. The Exeter Chiefs man only made his England
debut during the autumn internationals, and has just 5 caps to his name.
In contrast, Evans made his first appearance for Wales four
years ago, and has made 32 appearances for his national side.
With that being said, it is clear that the Welshman has experience on his side in this matchup. He will have also benefited from missing the Italy game, and be in peak condition for Saturday.
Moon was a surprise call-up to the England squad for some,
and he will have to assert his dominance in the early stages in Cardiff if he
wants to prove his doubters wrong.
Evans may be superior in the scrum, but if Moon can replicate his industrious, hard-working performances he has put in for Exeter this season, he may come out on top in terms of metres and tackles made across the course of the game.
Gareth Anscombe vs Owen Farrell
Owen Farrell’s displays in the first two games of this
competition have further cemented his status as one of the world’s best
fly-halves.
With no disrespect to Gareth Anscombe, who is a tremendously
intelligent number ten, it would take a serious performance from Welshman to
outshine Eddie Jones’ golden boy.
Farrell’s stats so far dwarf those of his counterpart – he
has already racked up 29 points compared to Anscombe’s 6, he has a higher
goal-kicking accuracy (71% compared to 60%), and he has a higher average gain
(27.5m compared to 18m).
It is not just Farrell’s attacking prowess that makes him
such a daunting opponent; his defensive play has improved massively over the
last few seasons. He has already made 22 tackles across the first two rounds.
Anscombe has however shown what positive impact he can have
on this Wales team. Prior to his introduction against Italy, Wales were
lacklustre in attack and looked pedestrian at times. With Anscombe’s kicking
from hand, the Welsh backs looked far more dangerous and dynamic.
Gatland’s decision to select Anscombe ahead of Dan Biggar
for such a crucial game highlights his trust in the 27-year-old.
If Anscombe is to come out on top in this battle though, he will primarily have to be more clinical from the tee. A 60% kick success rate against this England side will not go unpunished.
George North vs Jonny May
Jonny May is yet another England player who seems to be
hitting their best form in this year’s Six Nations. He currently leads the way
in the try-scoring charts with four, and was electric in England’s demolition
of France.
In comparison, George North is beginning to look back to his
rampaging best after a difficult period with injuries. His brace against France
in round one demonstrated his devastating pace, power and finishing ability.
He was one of the victims of Warren Gatland’s many changes
for the game against Italy, so the game on Saturday will be his first chance to
add to his tally.
North’s defensive ability will also be under scrutiny
against England, should Jones’ side be as dominant as they have in the first
two games. His sheer physical presence may offer a different challenge for
England’s back three who have been so fluid so far this competition.
Although May and North may not be playing directly opposite
each other on the pitch, their roles as their respective team’s talisman makes
this a key battle.
It may be the case that the winger that is more clinical when they get the chance, and whoever scores more points on Saturday, is on the winning side.
Gareth Davies vs Ben Youngs
Ben Youngs seems to have finally established himself as Eddie
Jones’ first-choice scrum-half, amid stiff competition in the position during
the head coaches reign.
The Leicester Tigers man has started both games in the Six
Nations, and has missed just 11 minutes across the two rounds.
In comparison, Gareth Davies is Warren Gatland’s third
different starting number nine. Davies has played just 46 minutes across Wales’
first two games, with Tomos Williams and Aled Davies favoured ahead of the
Scarlets man.
Despite this, Davies has managed to gain more metres than
Youngs so far in the competition – The Welshman has made 22m, compared to the
Englishman’s 17m.
Youngs however, has been much more secure in possession. Davies has twice as many handling errors (4) than Youngs (2), in a much shorter space of time.
This highlights a new Ben Youngs that Eddie Jones has
moulded; he has cut out silly mistakes from his game, albeit at the expense of
some the poaching he was known for in his younger years.
His change in style may have negatively impacted his
individual stats, but his overall contribution to the team has been massively
positive.
Davies will try to be as much of a nuisance to the England back-row as he can in Cardiff, and if he is able to retain possession, his small gains may prove to be vital to any Wales success.
