Steve Borthwick has picked his England team to play Wales in the second round of the 2024 Six Nations at Twickenham.
RUCK’s 2024 Guinness Six Nations content
Scroll down for the England team to play Wales.
Under Borthwick's leadership, England has faced setbacks, including a record home defeat by France and a historic loss to Fiji in their last Twickenham outing. Despite a challenging home record, England managed to secure a third-place finish at the World Cup in October.
In an effort to reverse the team's poor home form, according to RUCK sources, Borthwick has chosen to maintain consistency.
There's just one alteration to the bench, that sees vice captain Ellis Genge return after recovering from a foot injury.
The sold-out second-round game of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations sees Jamie George lead England out as captain for the first time at the home of England Rugby. The hooker packs down in the front row with Joe Marler at loosehead and Will Stuart on the tighthead.
At lock, vice-captain Maro Itoje is paired with Ollie Chessum. The back row sees last weekend’s Guinness player of the match Ethan Roots win his second cap at blindside flanker, with Sam Underhill on the openside and Ben Earl at No.8 to round off the England pack.
Scrum-half Alex Mitchell teams up with vice-captain George Ford at 10. In midfield, Fraser Dingwall starts his second game at inside centre alongside Henry Slade at 13.
In the back three, Elliot Daly is named on the left wing, with Tommy Freeman on the right and Freddie Steward selected at full-back.
On the bench, Theo Dan, vice-captain Genge, Dan Cole, Alex Coles, Chandler Cunningham-South, Danny Care, Fin Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso are named as replacements.
Borthwick said:
“It was both pleasing and important to have started our Six Nations campaign in Rome with a victory,” said Borthwick.
“It was good to have done so in front of so many travelling England supporters.
“However, we know there are areas of our game to improve as we prepare for this Saturday’s game against a spirited Wales team.
“With a new player group and a number of new caps, we have tried to develop our game on both sides of the ball. Such changes take time, and I was pleased how quickly the players settled and adapted last weekend against Italy.
“We’re delighted to be back playing in front of a sold-out Twickenham Stadium this Saturday. The visit of the Wales team is always a fixture that creates a special atmosphere.
“I have no doubt that this group of players are relishing the challenge before them and are looking forward to creating a very special experience for our supporters.”
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England vs Wales date, kick-off time and venue
England vs Wales takes place on Saturday February 10, 2024, with kick-off scheduled for 4:45pm GMT.
The match will be hosted at Twickenham in south-west London.
How to watch England vs Wales
TV channel: England vs Wales is being shown live in the UK free-to-air on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 4pm.
Live stream: You can catch a free live stream online via the ITVX app and website.
England vs Wales match odds
England to win: 1/7
Wales to win: 5/1
Draw: 25/1
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
England vs Wales head to head (h2h) history and results
England won the last meeting between the two nations, in the summer ahead of the World Cup, and also battled to a 20-10 victory in Cardiff 12 months ago.
It is nine years since Wales last beat England at Twickenham, and 12 years since they did so in the Six Nations.
England wins: 68
Wales wins: 51
Draws: 12
England team to play Wales:
15. Freddie Steward
14. Tommy Freeman
13. Henry Slade
12. Fraser Dingwall
11. Elliot Daly
10. George Ford
1. Joe Marler
2. Jamie George - captain
3. Will Stuart
4. Maro Itoje
6. Ethan Roots
8. Ben Earl
Replacements
16. Theo Dan
17. Ellis Genge
18. Dan Cole
19. Alex Coles
21. Danny Care
22. Fin Smith
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Sir Ian McGeechan Asked To Name His All-Time XV, He Said Only One ‘Unbelievable’ Player Is Guaranteed A Spot
Sir Ian McGeechan has unveiled his ultimate XV, omitting Paul O'Connell, David Campese, and Jonny Wilkinson from his lineup.
In his article for The Telegraph, the 74-year-old has chosen six New Zealanders, three Englishmen, two Welsh players, and one each from France, Scotland, and Ireland in his all-time greatest team.
BACK-THREE
Fullback: JPR Williams (Wales) - "Not a staggeringly original choice, I’ll admit. But to my mind the only one. If I’m going to be picking a dream XV then I want JPR at the back. No question, guarenteed starter."
Left-wing: Jonah Lomu (New Zealand) - "Illness and injury ultimately slowed him down. But his performances at the 1995 World Cup, just as the game was turning professional, will never be forgotten. The game needed a superstar, and it got one in Lomu. He was brilliant for rugby."
Right-wing: John Kirwan (New Zealand) - "He had an all round game; he could carry the ball through heavy traffic, he could offload, he was like an extra back-rower at times. Plus, he had natural effortless pace. He ended up scoring 35 tries for the All Blacks and was instrumental as they went through their unbeaten spell of games between 1987 and 1990."
CENTRES
Outside-centre: Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland) - "His ability to get back on his feet after tackling to compete for the ball was extraordinary, and ensured he always had an impact on the game, whatever type of game it was. He was such a natural talent."
Inside-centre: Philippe Sella (France) - "Sella and O’Driscoll were powerful men. They could stop a forward in his tracks. I think as a pair they would dominate any midfield and I like the thought of them together."
HALFBACKS
Fly-half: Dan Carter (New Zealand) - McGeechan wrote that Carter “really was the complete 10. His defence was immaculate, he could break himself, he could bring others in to play, his kicking from hand and from tee was incredibly accurate. He also changed the way the game was played with his kicking from his own 22m and his kicking to compete. The greatest of the modern era in my opinion.’’
Scrum-half: Gareth Edwards (Wales) - "My favourite scrum-half of all time happens to be my favourite player of all time. Gareth Edwards was and always will be the master. The Greatest.’’
FRONT-ROW
Loosehead-prop: Tom Smith (Scotland) - "I just don’t think he gets anywhere near the credit he deserves. Six consecutive Lions Tests in 1997 and 2001, a talismanic figure in Scotland’s 1999 Five Nations win, a major reason Scotland were competitive at the 2003 World Cup."
Hooker: Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand) - "He was outstanding, not just as a player but as a captain, and as a man. His consistency was unbelievable in an international career that spanned 12 years: 92 Test appearances, including a world record 63 consecutive Test matches and 51 as captain. "
Tighthead-prop: Jason Leonard (England) - " He played both sides of the scrum but he was more of a tighthead. Completely unflappable, Jason was never in any trouble. Technically, he was superb and temperamentally he was sound, a huge character on and off the pitch."
SECOND-ROW
Lock: Martin Johnson (England) - "I think he defined an era, both for forward play and for the performances of the teams he represented."
Lock: John Eales (Australia) - "A two-time Rugby World Cup-winner with the Wallabies in 1991 and 1999, captaining his side to victory over France in the second of those finals. A lot of the ‘number fives’ that have followed him play the way they do because of the type of game Eales set."
BACK-ROW
Blindside-flanker: Richard Hill (England) - "One of the easier selections, if I’m honest. Hill seemed to know almost instinctively where to be and when."
Openside-flanker: Richie McCaw (New Zealand) - Having picked Richard Hill at blindside, the thought of pairing him with Richie McCaw at openside genuinely excites me. Can you imagine those two together? The opposition would not stand a chance.
Number 8: Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand) - "One of the toughest choices of the lot. Maybe the toughest. His ability to bring others into the game, his ability to stay connected in the game himself, popping up repeatedly through different phases; all exemplary. And he dropped goals of course. A true original."
QUIZ: Name Every Head Coach to Win the Men’s Guinness Six Nations (2000 – 2023)
The brains behind the Six Nations masterplans, these head coaches have all won 'Rugby's Greatest Championship', since the modernised competition began back in 2000. Throughout the history of the competition, there have been only five head coaches to win the competition on more than one occasion.
However, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell is looking to become the sixth, as he orchestrates the men from the Emerald Isle into defending their Six Nations Grand Slam. In total, the Six Nations has been won by 13 different head coaches, and we challenge you to name them all in the next six minutes!
Your time starts... now! Good luck!
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