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Hello everyone and welcome to our first Six Nations liveblog of 2015! Wales take on England in Cardiff tonight and whoever wins will be well placed to wrestle the crown away from Ireland this year.
And here are the teams. Warren Gatland named his side two days early while Stuart Lancaster had to make some difficult decisions with so many injuries in his squad.
Wales : 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-Alex Cuthbert, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-George North, 10-Dan Biggar, 9-Rhys Webb; 1-Gethin Jenkins, 2-Richard Hibbard, 3-Sampson Lee, 4-Jake Ball, 5-Alun-Wyn Jones, 6-Dan Lydiate, 7-Sam Warburton, 8-Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16-Scott Baldwin, 17-Paul James, 18-Aaron Jarvis, 19-Luke Charteris, 20-Justin Tipuric, 21-Mike Phillips, 22-Rhys Priestland, 23-Liam Williams.
England : 15-Mike Brown, 14-Anthony Watson, 13-Jonathan Joseph, 12-Luther Burrell, 11-Jonny May, 10-George Ford, 9-Ben Youngs-; 1-Joe Marler, 2-Dylan Hartley, 3-Dan Cole, 4-Dave Attwood, 5-George Kruis, 6-James Haskell, 7-Chris Robshaw (captain), 8-Billy Vunipola
Replacements: 16-Tom Youngs, 17-Mako Vunipola, 18-Kieran Brookes, 19-Tom Croft, 20-Nick Easter, 21-Richard Wigglesworth, 22-Danny Cipriani, 23-Billy Twelvetrees
Wales vs England in Cardiff always gives us so many great memories.
Two years ago England came in search of a Grand Slam and were absolutely annihilated by a rampant Welsh side.
And it is ten years since Gavin Henson welcomed Matthew Tait to international rugby with two massive hits.
O’Gara is bullish about Ireland’s chances anyway.
Ireland U20 had a resounding win and the women’s team are on the way to the same. Three Grand Slams are a guarantee. Mark it down now.
The BBC panel had a bit of fun bringing up this great photo after Wales destroyed England in 2013. Not hard to spot the Welshman there!
The BBC did a cool Game of Thrones Six Nations promo. Even if you don’t watch the show you will appreciate the steely voiced narrator.
The first major shock of the 2015 Six Nations: Jeremy Guscott is scarfless. I repeat, scarfless.
Wales are four-point favourites and are 4/7 to win. England are 15/8 and the draw is 20/1.
Are people watching on RTE or BBC? BBC for me. Eddie Butler’s voice is exceptional. So much gravitas.
The roof might be open but the atmosphere still looks brilliant at the Millennium Stadium. It really is one of the best venues in the world.
#Motivation
The anthems are being played at the moment. While you listen, have a read of our definitive ranking of all the anthems in the Six Nations.
We are off in the 2015 Six Nations!
Faletau claims the kickoff and Wales are on the attack.
Wales have a penalty after Jonny May doesn’t roll away. Halfpenny to go for the posts on the ten metre line on the right.
Wales 3-0 England
Halfpenny nails the tricky kick.
England have possession in the Welsh half after the home side knock on.
Wales turn it over but kick straight into the hands of George Ford who calls a mark.
Dan Biggar’s clever cross-kick is fielded by Halfpenny who chips to five yards short of the England line. The visitors knock on and Wales have a five metre scrum to the right of the posts.
TRY! Wales 8-0 England
Wales 10-0 England
The England pack got a great shove going but Faletau did excellently to pick the ball up from a retreating scrum and feed scrum-half Rhys Webb who skated past Jonny May into the corner.
Faletau did some exceptional work in the build-up there.
England driving into the Welsh 22 now but Alex Cuthbert flattens Mike Brown into touch.
Webb hits a booming box kick that takes play into the England half.
Gethin Jenkins is penalised at the scrum and England kick into the Welsh 22.
TRY! Wales 10-5 England
Very nice score from England. The pack eke out a few yards in the 22 and then Mike Brown dribbles a perfectly weighted grubber kick behind the Welsh defence that Anthony Watson collects in the corner. Great response by Lancaster’s men. Ford hits the post with the conversion.
George Hook brought England back into it with this tweet.
England were pushing for another score in Wales’ 22 but after Dylan Hartley breaks off a maul he gets isolated and Dan Lydiate wins the turnover penalty.
Watson excellently collects a Ford cross-kick but his offload is sloppy and Faletau poaches it. Wales then get a lineout in the England 22 after Ford’s clearance is charged down.
Mike Brown catches a high ball and then George North smashes into him and drives him back ten yards. England manage to clear and Wales have a lineout on halfway.
Wales 13-5 England
Halfpenny extends Wales’ lead with a straightforward penalty.
Ford is charged down for the second time and Wales turn the ball over again.
Wales knock on in midfield on the halfway line and England have their first scrum.
The Welsh scrum is under a lot of pressure at the moment and the referee is focusing a lot on Gethin Jenkins.
And he promptly penalises him. England have a lineout just outside the Welsh 22.
England have a penalty after May is tackled without the ball. Ford will kick to the right of the posts on the 22.
George North is also down after catching a boot in the head from Dave Atwood.
Wales 13-8 England
Ford gets his first kick of the night.
Liam Williams is on for North. Not sure yet if it is temporary yet.
England concede another breakdown penalty and Halfpenny will go for the posts in a central area from about 40m out.
Oh my God… Halfpenny missed!
Good rucking from England as Vunipola gets a boot in and kicks the ball out.
After Joseph gathers a Ford chip, the young out-half gets blocked down AGAIN. The ball bounces into the hands of Mike Brown but the fullback knocks on in contact and Wales have a scrum on the wing in their own 22.
Wales win their first scrum penalty of the game after England wheel the scrum.
HT Wales 16-8 England
Biggar drops a goal right on half time to stretch Wales’ lead to eight. That is probably a fair reflection after a very enjoyable opening half of Six Nations rugby.
We are off in the second half!
Wasted opportunity from England as Vunipola knocks on about ten yards from the line. The visitors were building nicely there.
England are back on the attack again and have moved into the Welsh 22.
Quick hands out to May, who gets tackled ten yards short. Great chance for England here.
TRY! Wales 16-15 England
Wales threaten to poach the ball on a number of occasions but England’s clearing out is good. Then on the 21st phase the ball is spun out to Jonathan Joseph, who evades the tackle of George North to wriggle over. Ford cuts the deficit to the minimum.
George North wins a turnover penalty on halfway and Wales now have a lineout just outside the England 22.
It’s all England at the moment. Their attack has been sharp all night and they are gaining ground regularly now. Lydiate gets penalised for going off his feet and now Ford will have a chance to kick England into the lead.
Ford misses a relatively straightforward penalty. Let off for Wales.
Mike Brown hooks his clearance and Wales have a lineout on the England 22.
But Marler pilfers the ball and Youngs is able to clear.
Vunipola is on for Marler and Youngs is on for Hartley.
The front row subs don’t have the desired impact as they are immediately penalised at the scrum. Wales kick to just outside the England 22.
England hold Wales up and have a scrum outside their 22. England are on top but they might regret not tacking on a few more scores when in the ascendancy.
The BODfather gives Warburton the thumbs up.
England completely butcher a try-scoring opportunity. Haskell blew a hole in the Welsh defence but somehow Alex Cuthbert stopped him from scoring. Cuthbert then gets sent to the sin bin and the ref goes to the TMO to check if Haskell actually touched down.
Wales 16-18 England
No try but it is a penalty in front of the posts and Ford gives England the lead.
Appears I wasn’t the only one who thought Haskell should have done a bit better.
Kieran Brookes is on for Dan Cole. This time England’s new front row win the penalty at a scrum outside their own 22. Ford brings play into the Welsh half.
A lot of online doctors saying George North’s subdued performance is because he was concussed in the first half.
Wales were building the phases in English territory but a knock on by Richard Hibbard gives a scrum to the visitors.
Richard Wigglesworth is on for Ben Youngs, Luke Charteris is on for Jake Ball and Mike Phillips is on for Rhys Webb.
England almost seal the game after Burrell bamboozlees Phillips with a dummy and throws a difficult pass to Mike Brown who drops the ball. If Brown held onto it he would have definitely scored a try.
Nick Easter is on for Billy Vunipola as Brown finds touch nicely in the Welsh 22.
We are going to the TMO for a possible England try. Very controlled attacking play by England that saw Dave Atwood go close.
In the build-up to the ‘try’ Ford threw a lovely pass off his shoulder to Brooks.
No try! Easter is pulled up for obstruction in the build-up. That’s a shame for England because it was a very well worked score.
Billy Twelvetrees wins a turnover penalty and England will be able to extend their lead and eat up a lot of time here.
Wales 16-21 England
Ford gets it and Wales have one minute to score a try.
FT Wales 16-21 England
It’s all over and England get their first win of the 2015 Six Nations .
That’s all for our liveblog. Thanks for joining me tonight and make sure to check back later on for reaction from tonight’s game and build up to Ireland’s opener tomorrow.
