Wales v England: Which players need to impress most as England begin World Cup countdown?

England bushed Wales 20-10 successful the 2023 Six Nations with Ollie Lawrence scoring 1 of their 3 tries successful Cardiff

England's World Cup countdown begins successful earnest connected Saturday with their archetypal warm-up lucifer against Wales successful Cardiff.

Borthwick indicated that the bulk of his squad has been finalised with lone "one oregon 2 places" inactive to beryllium decided.

So which players request to cement their spot successful the last squad? And who needs a large show to unit their mode into the starting XV for the opener against Argentina connected 9 September successful Marseille?

Who tin unit their mode into Borthwick's plans?

Joe Cokanasiga scored for England successful his past quality against Argentina successful November

Max Malins is the lone subordinate from the Premiership last successful Saturday's starting XV arsenic Borthwick chose to remainder cardinal unit and springiness opportunities to immoderate caller faces.

Flanker Tom Pearson volition marque his debut, portion chap uncapped forwards Theo Dan and Tom Willis are connected the bench, and Leicester Tigers' George Martin wins his 2nd headdress 2 years aft making his debut arsenic a 19-year-old.

At the time, Eddie Jones described Martin arsenic an "old-fashioned six" but added with clip helium whitethorn "be capable to play fastener arsenic well." Now, aged 22 and a Premiership winner, helium gets his accidental successful the 2nd enactment wherever his size and physicality should bolster England's guardant power.

"In presumption of however helium plays the crippled and the mode helium hits tackles, not galore players are astatine that standard," erstwhile England planetary Chris Ashton told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

Bath winger Joe Cokanasiga, who made a try-scoring debut against Japan successful 2018 arsenic a 21-year-old, is different subordinate capped young by Jones who has struggled to support his spot successful nationalist squads.

Cokanasiga, who has 12 tries successful 12 caps, made the 2019 World Cup squad and brings other size and spot to the backs.

Ashton hopes England's coaching unit volition usage Cokanasiga, present 25, successful the aforesaid mode they deployed Fijian powerhouse Nemani Nadolo erstwhile they were moving astatine Leicester.

"I americium reasoning England are going to usage large Joe arsenic a transportation option," said Ashton, who played nether Borthwick and adjunct coaches Kevin Sinfield and Wigglesworth astatine Leicester.

"Get the shot successful his hands - we've seen him excessively galore times successful an England garment not get the shot and beryllium utilized successful the close way."

Kicking crippled oregon moving rugby?

Steve Borthwick [left] and Kevin Sinfield [right] were portion of the coaching set-up astatine Leicester Tigers who bushed Saracens successful the 2022 Premiership final

Borthwick won the Premiership arsenic caput manager of Leicester Tigers successful 2022 playing percent rugby - which successful elemental presumption means kicking the shot much than moving it.

One subordinate who struggled to acceptable into Borthwick's benignant of play during the Six Nations was Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith who excels for his nine playing an expansive benignant of moving rugby.

With his inclusion against Wales alongside nine team-mate Danny Care, is Borthwick trying to wed the 2 styles?

"If helium [Smith] wants to beryllium that starting 10 and a world-class planetary fly-half helium needs to bash both," Ugo Monye told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

"I deliberation we volition get a squad who are acceptable up to play archetypal but recognize if they are not going anyplace aft the archetypal 2 oregon 3 phases, past they person a superb kick-chase crippled to spell to."

With Borthwick acceptable to bring each 3 fly-halves presently successful the squad to France, and Owen Farrell acceptable to commencement arsenic skipper of the side, Smith whitethorn beryllium a originative enactment disconnected the seat up of George Ford.

Gatland protecting 'expectation'

Head manager Warren Gatland has spoken this summertime astir wanting to "change the antagonistic narrative" astir Welsh rugby. This comes aft the experienced trio of Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb each announced they volition not beryllium going to this World Cup.

Gatland has named three caller caps to commencement against England, with a further 2 caller caps perchance coming disconnected the bench, portion Ospreys flanker Jac Morgan volition skipper Wales for the archetypal clip successful the lack of injured hooker Ken Owens.

Gatland, 59, has won lone 1 crippled since returning arsenic caput manager aft his palmy spell successful complaint from 2007-2019, which included 3 Grand Slams.

Although Leigh Halfpenny wins his 100th Wales headdress astatine full-back, picking an inexperienced broadside mightiness springiness Gatland "wiggle room" if the show is disappointing.

"It is simply a astute enactment from Wales," Monye added. "Of people you would person wanted to springiness opportunities to players and premix and mingle.

"It protects the anticipation and puts retired immoderate of the animosity and sentiment that has been surrounding Wales for what feels similar rather a agelong time."

Line-ups

Wales: Halfpenny; Rees-Zammit, North, Llewellyn, Dyer; Costelow, Davies; Domachowski, Elias, Assiratti, Jenkins, Rowlands, Tshiunza, Morgan (captain), Wainwright.

Replacements: Dee, Smith, Thomas, Carter, Plumtree, Williams, Biggar, Grady.

England: Steward; Malins, Marchant, Porter, Cokanasiga; Smith, Care; Genge (capt), Blamire, Stuart; Ribbans, Martin; Ludlam, Pearson, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Dan, Rodd, Sinckler, Hill, T Willis, Van Poortvliet, Ford, Slade.

Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)

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