It is now a must-win game for England following their 28-25 defeat to Wales on Saturday night.
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Gatland has opted to bring in James Hook and Gareth Anscombe as replacements, subject to confirmation and clearance from the Rugby World Cup.
“We’ve got to make sure that when we get that 10-point buffer, we play the game in the right areas of the field”, explained Lancaster.
The victory was all the more unexpected because Wales had gone into the crunch match missing key players such as Leigh Halfpenny through injury and saw backs Scott Williams, Liam Williams and Hallam Amos forced off during a bruising encounter.
Rugby World Cup hosts England were beaten 25-28 by Wales at Twickenham which has seen them drop to third place in the Pool of Death.
“We will need to apply a lot of pressure on their scrums and lineout”. One of the things we said when we left the hotel was that we wanted to make a nation proud. “It’s not worked out this time, but if we’d got the match-winning try everyone would have praised the decision”.
“Rugby is an attritional game in terms of the physicality. We know what a hard task that is at the best of times, even with a full week’s preparation, let alone five days”. We have watched the three previous games. “We did lose one of our best players”, Edwards said.
Matson was adamant that had to be addressed against Wales where they face being punished by Dan Biggar who kicked 23 points in the epic win over England. “What a talent”.
Wales’ injury-ravaged World Cup campaign looks set to take another major double hit.
Howley also rejected the notion that Gatland and his coaching team do not trust Hook.
“I haven’t heard that”, Howley added.
“If we pick the footballers again, so Ford at 10, Farrell at 12 and Slade at 13, then suddenly we have a backline who can play”.
“I don’t dwell on it. I can’t change it. You are disappointed for the players, but you move forward to prepare for the next match”.
“We have not sat down with regards to the Fiji selection and whether James comes into that mix or not we will see”.
They always get a bad write up when actually they’re a very efficient pack.
“A combination of three yellow cards or citing commissioner warnings accumulated during the tournament will result in a hearing”.
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After several minutes of treatment, Williams was driven from the pitch on the medical cart and he must now begin the return to play protocols for concussion, potentially ruling him out of the remaining two group games against Fiji and Australia.
