Team for Wales

[FKAS]

[Mikey Brown]

Ojomoh the only notable addition (maybe Langdon) there or have I missed someone?

Seems a decent enough player but I don’t think he solves many of our midfield issues.

[Puja]

Ojomoh still the next cab off the rank for England despite only having 5 starts for Bath this year. And yes, I know some of that is injury, but I'm baffled as to what England are seeing in him when he's not showing it for Bath nor commanding a starting shirt for them. Why's he a better option than Butt, who is only 1 year older, in significantly better form, looked good for the A-side, and is picked ahead of Ojomoh for Bath?

Or, just to throw an example name out there that won't cause too much foaming at the mouth on the board, Seb Atkinson?

Puja

[Which Tyler]

For "some of that is injury", try "all of that is injury"
Because he's a better rugby player than Butt - and is selected ahead of Butt for Bath.
The only time this season that Butt has started and Ojomoh hasn't was against La Rochelle - in Max's 2nd match back from injury (having flared up during his 1st match back).

Seb Atkinson - yes, I think we're pretty unanimously in favour of him on here; though I'm really not sure he's the centre you want partnering Dingwall (or Slade) - not that whoever was called up replace Lawrence is going to get on the pitch this weekend.

[fivepointer]

Ojomoh has a lot more rounded game than Butt and can play OC unlike Atkinson. Actually i think its a positive to see him included.

6 day turnaround so expect only changes necessitated by injury.

[Scrumhead]

Ojomoh still the next cab off the rank for England despite only having 5 starts for Bath this year. And yes, I know some of that is injury, but I'm baffled as to what England are seeing in him when he's not showing it for Bath nor commanding a starting shirt for them. Why's he a better option than Butt, who is only 1 year older, in significantly better form, looked good for the A-side, and is picked ahead of Ojomoh for Bath?

Or, just to throw an example name out there that won't cause too much foaming at the mouth on the board, Seb Atkinson?

Puja

Quite aside from the Ojomoh/Butt argument, I would assume Beard is the ‘next cab off the rank’ given he’s been training with the squad for the whole tournament?

[p/d]

I would assume Beard left the rank at the start of 6n

[FKAS]

Can't remember if Langdon was called up earlier in the tournament as injury cover. It's odd he's still in the squad and we now have four hookers in there.

Alex Coles is in there so hopefully he's fit enough to provide an actual bit of lock cover. Willis there should mean whatever was hampering him last weekend wasn't serious.

The centre options don't inspire but at the same time there's no obvious candidate you'd point to as being hard done by.

[Puja]

Ojomoh still the next cab off the rank for England despite only having 5 starts for Bath this year. And yes, I know some of that is injury, but I'm baffled as to what England are seeing in him when he's not showing it for Bath nor commanding a starting shirt for them. Why's he a better option than Butt, who is only 1 year older, in significantly better form, looked good for the A-side, and is picked ahead of Ojomoh for Bath?

Or, just to throw an example name out there that won't cause too much foaming at the mouth on the board, Seb Atkinson?

Puja

Quite aside from the Ojomoh/Butt argument, I would assume Beard is the ‘next cab off the rank’ given he’s been training with the squad for the whole tournament?

I did actually mean in terms of being called up into the squad, but it would be very easy for people to've forgetten Beard's existence across the span of the 6N. No clue why we didn't use the A game to allow the squad players to get some minutes in - I'd love to champion Beard to get a debut against Wales, but I'd be leery of starting someone who hasn't played a game in nearly 8 weeks.

Puja

[Oakboy]

Is Borthwick going to take it to Wales or revert to safety-first kicking? Anticipating selection is difficult without knowing.

Dingwall and Slade is an unattractive proposition. Dingwall and Freeman would be better. I'd play Daly on the wing and recall Steward at 15. I'd change to 5:3 with JVP, Fin and Roebuck on the bench. That means Mitchell starting with Marcus and Sleightholme retained reluctantly.

[Danno]

Freeman is our best and most match sharp available wing. Suggesting him in the centres is quite weird

[Oakboy]

Freeman is our best and most match sharp available wing. Suggesting him in the centres is quite weird

Who else provides any real physicality? 13 is more important than wing. He clicks with Dingwall.

[Captainhaircut]

Freeman and IFW are our best attackers for me. Both play right wing currently. Freeman has looked nowhere near as effective on the left wing whilst I have seen him look very effective at centre.

Now seems like the perfect time to have a look at him at 13 and as Oakboy says we’ll need some physicality at 13 which means Freeman or Beard making his debut having not played for months.

I’d go Freeman 13 and Roebuck 14. Would have Beard on the bench in a 5-3

[francoisfou]

Could this be the match to pick Pollock at 7?
I’d also like Willis not to be hooked so early in the second half and for Ted Hill to start at 6.
Will Shiny Baldpatch keep Daly at 15 and go with Freeman and Dingers as centres?

[Danno]

Freeman is our best and most match sharp available wing. Suggesting him in the centres is quite weird

Who else provides any real physicality? 13 is more important than wing. He clicks with Dingwall.

Who replaces Freeman on the wing though? Completely on board with needing some oomph, but he's been playing great there and our musical chairs journey in the backs needs to slow down a bit

[FKAS]

Freeman is our best and most match sharp available wing. Suggesting him in the centres is quite weird

Who else provides any real physicality? 13 is more important than wing. He clicks with Dingwall.

Who replaces Freeman on the wing though? Completely on board with needing some oomph, but he's been playing great there and our musical chairs journey in the backs needs to slow down a bit

Roebuck offers the closest like for like replacement to Freeman. He's quick, strong, good in the air and knows how to finish.

11. Sleightholme
12. Dingwall
13. Freeman
14. Roebuck

Would be the closest we have to keeping a similar balance to last weekend.

Whether we want the same balance as last weekend I don't know but Wales looked iffy under contestable kicks and didn't handle pressure well so having Freeman and Roebuck who are both excellent in the air causing problems wouldn't be a bad idea. You'd probably keep Daly at 15 for the experience and big left boot.

[p/d]

I could live with that. Got to stop Gareth’s lad punching holes through our midfield. It is when Wales look most dangerous and us, well, a tad vulnerable

[SixAndAHalf]

11. Sleightholme
12. Dingwall
13. Freeman
14. Roebuck

I like this and it would be the only change I would make to the squad. Agreed on the earlier point that it also clears the path for IFW to return.

I wouldn't be averse to AOF, Dan or Pollock getting a run but that can also wait until summer.

[Mikey Brown]

I'm all aboard the Freeman-at-13 hope train as well, but he's only started 1 game there this season (back in October) and you'd have thought he'd move there on Sunday (with Daly having played wing the previous 2 weeks) if SB/WW really saw him as a centre option. It's got a much nicer balance with Dingwall at 12 though and he has played the last 20 or so at centre for England a few times now. Who knows how up to speed he is with the defensive system, but I hate the idea of Llewellyn running at Daly.

Not sure about 'clearing the path for IFW', until somebody nails down that other wing spot it's not really an issue is it? I do worry people are assuming he'll just drop back in with the same red-hot form he had before. It's certainly not a concern for right now, given there is so much club rugby and then the Lions tour before we see the England first XV again.

[SixAndAHalf]

I feel like there is more talent coming through on the wing than we have at centre. I'm still hoping Marchant returns but otherwise it is quite sparse especially with the uncertainty over Lawrence now.

On the wing we have Sleightholme and Murley who look great in the Premiership and have shown flashes at international level. Then I have high hopes for both Hendy and Elliot who both look to have the right attributes.

[Captainhaircut]

I feel like there is more talent coming through on the wing than we have at centre. I'm still hoping Marchant returns but otherwise it is quite sparse especially with the uncertainty over Lawrence now.

On the wing we have Sleightholme and Murley who look great in the Premiership and have shown flashes at international level. Then I have high hopes for both Hendy and Elliot who both look to have the right attributes.

Plus Muir, Ibitoye and OHC left wing. On the right, we have Arundell coming back (presume he’ll play right wing with Muir left) plus IFW, Roebuck and Elliott/Hendy that you mentioned.

Also got Bracken at Sarries who looks superb coming through.

Meanwhile we have Lawrence and Beard at 13 and Lawrence is probably out for a year. Which all adds up to Freeman to centre!

[p/d]

I assume Daly will move to 13 and Smith to fb. Perhaps Beard will get the 23 shirt on a 6:2 bench

[Puja]

I assume Daly will move to 13 and Smith to fb. Perhaps Beard will get the 23 shirt on a 6:2 bench

I wouldn't hate Beard getting the 23 shirt. I'd like to see what he can do.

Puja

[p/d]

Is Freeman hinting at playing 13?

[Oakboy]

Is Freeman hinting at playing 13?

He looks a better long-term fit at 13, IMO, with physicality and good hands more likely to improve than his pace. He is saying that he practises there so who knows?

Last week, Borthwick, in an unsurprisingly conservative reaction moved Daly to OC - preferring a single switch to a shuffle. If he is an enterprising HC, with a week to prepare, he might just come to the correct conclusion that Freeman at OC with Daly on the wing is right for both players. At international level Daly is not a good defender at OC. Freeman, though less experienced, may well become one.