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| Leigh Halfpenny |
Wales will be looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat at Twickenham when they square off against England at the Millenium Stadium on Saturday the 17th of August.
The final game of the Quilter Cup series between England and Wales will take place this Saturday, and there’s an extra edge to this one as the English ran the Dragons rampant last Sunday running out 33-19 victors.
Wales v England
Saturday 17 August
Millenium Stadium
To Win (80 Mins)
Wales 11/10
Draw 20/1
England 8/10
Wales
What was shaping up to be a great Sunday for Welsh rugby fans turned into a nightmare with the Dragons not only going down 33-19 to arch-rivals England but also losing star pivot Gareth Anscombe to a serious injury which has seen him ruled out of the World Cup.
The Dragons were far from their best last weekend and were guilty of handing their opponent’s numerous chances such as the overthrown lineout that saw England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie grab a five-pointer just before half-time.
Warren Gatland’s men were also rather poor when it came to taking advantage of the turnover ball as they butchered a number of presentable try-scoring opportunities. With Anscombe out, the Welsh are going to need to be more clinical as their try-scoring opportunities are likely to be fewer.
England
While last Sunday was an absolute nightmare for the Welsh, it was a dream start to England’s World Cup build-up as a mix and match gave a great account of themselves.
While England coach Eddie Jones would have loved the scoreline, it’s the boxes that were ticked during the encounter that will please England’s mentor the most. Willi Heinz proved he’s a capable back-up for the World Cup, while Billy Vunipoala have a cracker of a game.
The cherry on top though was the cameo from Manu Tuiliangi who absolutely ripped through the Welsh defence during the dying embers of the fixture.
Like Wales, England have an injury worry will be two-headed into this one with Elliot Daily suffering a knock and Tom Curry forced off with something that looked slightly more serious. Neither player will be risked this weekend as Jones is a pragmatist.
Verdict: Wales 11/10
Their 14 game winning streak came to an end last weekend but I think that will just be a blimp for this Welsh side. Yes, the loss of Anscombe is a blow but his backup, Dan Biggar, is a seasoned veteran who will slot in with ease.
