Wales v England LIVE: Latest updates from Six Nations as visitors look to stay in title hunt

Old rivals will renew hostilities as title-chasing England come to Cardiff for a meeting with Wales on Six Nations “Super Saturday”.

The championship’s fate is out of England’s hands but Steve Borthwick’s side can heap the pressure on France, who host Scotland later, by moving clear at the top of the table with a bonus-point win. A slightly curious campaign continued with a comfortable win over Italy in which England showed more attacking ambition yet lacked the ruthlessness characteristic of a top team. Having made some bold selection calls, Borthwick has urged his side to play bravely and not be cowed by the Cardiff crowd.

The Welsh supporters will be relishing the prospect of possibly spoiling their favourite rivals’ title chances. It has been a long period of woe for the national men’s team, with a run of 16 successive defeats stretching back to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. But the arrival of Matt Sherratt as interim coach has brought fresh energy and hope that this could yet be a famous day...

Follow all of the latest from the Principality Stadium in our live blog below:

Wales vs England LIVE

England travel to Wales in the middle game of Super Saturday, with their Six Nations title hopes still alive | Kick-off at 4.45pm, live on BBC One
Steve Borthwick's side need to secure a bonus-point win in Cardiff and then hope for a favour from Scotland against France
Wales have lost 16 Tests in a row but have been given a spark of hope by interim coach Matt Sherratt

Maro Itoje insists England need to take game to Wales in Cardiff

15:01 , Luke Baker

Maro Itoje has highlighted key elements of aggression, composure and intent when he leads England into the Principality Stadium.

“Whenever you play Wales, but particularly in Cardiff, you need to be aggressive,” Itoje said.

“You want to start the game well and really take the game to Wales. You have to make sure you maintain a level of composure because it is a great atmosphere, a cool stadium and the match is always big.

“You need to make sure you have the ability to make good decisions under that scrutiny. It is being aggressive in the manner in which we play, but also the mindset and mentality. We are not coming here just to play pretty phases, you have to come here and play with intent.

“The atmosphere is obviously great, it is a stadium you want to play in and I don’t see it as intimidating at all. I don’t see it as something to beware of or anything like that.

“I see it as something to relish, something to enjoy and something to make our mindset tighter and bring us closer as a group.”

Is this the day the Welsh woe ends?

14:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle in Cardiff

A very good afternoon from Cardiff, where the late spring chill is doing little to quell the enthusiasm carried in the crowds filling the city streets. Yes, there is optimism in the air both for the travelling English fans with a title still, in theory, on the cards and the locals, with a real feeling that this could be a special day.

I was last here in the autumn for the visit of South Africa, when the city felt far quieter than usual on matchday with home hopes so slim and the long losing run only going on. Could their woe finally end this evening?

The atmosphere is building nicely in Cardiff (Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

BBC and ITV secure new Six Nations deal to keep championship on free-to-air television

14:39 , Luke Baker

The Six Nations will remain on free-to-air television in the United Kingdom after ITV and BBC agreed a new deal to show the competition through to 2029.

The rights in the United Kingdom had been up for grabs at the end of the broadcasters’ existing agreement, which concludes after this tournament

It was feared that parts of the championship would go behind a paywall with TNT Sports declaring interest in bidding, though the subscription channel cautioned that a “challenging” landscape would make it difficult to capture the competition.

And it has now been confirmed that the terrestrial broadcasters have again struck a deal to show the men’s competition over the next four years.

BBC and ITV secure new Six Nations deal

Ben Earl urges England to up the tempo to continue Wales’ woe: ‘Speed kills’

14:20 , Luke Baker

England back row Ben Earl has urged his side to up the tempo and prove that “speed wins” in modern rugby union as they take on Wales.

Borthwick made a number of bold calls in his starting side, with Tommy Freeman given a first international start at centre and Earl again joined by the Curry twins, Ben and Tom, in a mobile, scavenging back row.

The same combination also started against Ireland on the opening weekend and, while Tom Willis and Chandler Cunningham-South lurk as more sizeable options, the inclusion of potential debutant Henry Pollock is another nod to England’s desire to play with pace.

Earl believes it reflects a trend more widely within the sport of speed mattering most.

Ben Earl urges England to up the tempo to continue Wales’ woe: ‘Speed kills’

Wales v England talking points - Sherratt’s farewell?

14:03 , Luke Baker

Matt Sherratt took over as Wales interim head coach when Warren Gatland departed after a dire 22-15 defeat against Italy on February 8 and he was adamant it would be for three games only before returning to his day job as Cardiff boss.

But if England are upstaged, there will be a clamour for the Welsh Rugby Union to appoint him as Gatland’s full-time successor.

Wales v England talking points - Wales target an end too their woes

13:43 , Luke Baker

Wales have not won a Six Nations game since they beat Italy in Rome two years ago – a run of 10 losses – and they need at least a point against England to potentially avoid the wooden spoon for a second successive season.

Another defeat would see them create unwanted history in rugby union’s professional era by becoming the first tier one country to lose 17 Tests on the bounce.

Wales v England talking points - Mr Versatile

13:21 , Luke Baker

Earl was first used as a ‘hybrid player’ by Borthwick’s predecessor Eddie Jones five years ago but Saturday could emerge as the biggest test of his versatility yet.

With Fraser Dingwall present as the only specialist centre, it will be Earl who fills in at 12 in the event of injury to the Northampton man.

Nominally a flanker who can play number eight, his ability to provide midfield cover unlocks the scope to load the bench with six forwards. France’s Oscar Jegou and South Africa’s Kwagga Smith have excelled in the same role for their nations.

Ben Earl will cover inside centre for England against Wales (PA Wire)

Wales v England talking points - The need for speed

13:02 , Luke Baker

Borthwick insists England will go for broke in their pursuit of the title and his audacious team selection reflects this aim.

A trio of specialist opensides in the Curry twins and Ben Earl form the back row, while wing Tommy Freeman makes his first Test start at outside centre.

Factor in Marcus Smith at full-back and the scope for three playmakers to be in action – Fin Smith as fly-half and George Ford off the bench – and it is a side full of dynamism, prompting Earl to declare “speed wins”.

Wales v England talking points - Eyes on the prize

12:37 , Luke Baker

For the first time since 2020, England enter the final round of the Six Nations with a shot at winning the title.

They were successful on that occasion, dispatching Italy to become champions, but the odds are stacked against them this weekend.

Steve Borthwick’s men must avoid a Wales ambush in Cardiff while registering a bonus-point win and hope France are stunned by Scotland in Paris. Ireland are also contenders.

Matt Sherratt urges Wales to balance ‘heart and brain’ against England

12:16 , Luke Baker

Matt Sherratt says it will be about finding the “balance between heart and brain” when Wales tackle Six Nations title contenders England this afternoon in his final game as interim head coach.

“I would love to sign off (with a win), not for me but for the players and staff who have been here for a long time. It would be huge for them,” Sherratt said.

“There will be emotion on Saturday. It is getting that balance between heart and brain. There will be stacks of heart. We need to get our game on the pitch.

“If that win comes, it would give everyone a massive lift, especially against England at home.

“On Monday we put a slide up with the (Principality) stadium, the date and time of the game. Everything has been leading up to Saturday. It won’t need an emotional build-up.

“It is the end of a seven-week camp and I have only been here for three weeks. It is about not overloading them mentally, as that will take away some of their energy.

“Then it is how much time we actually need on the pitch. Emotionally, they will be there but it is important physically as well that they have got bags of energy in their legs.”

How Wales coach Matt Sherratt forged Fin Smith into England’s future fly-half

11:58 , Luke Baker

It may be two and a half years since their desperately sad demise but the impact of the Worcester Warriors on this Six Nations is clear.

Hope is growing that rugby may return to Sixways in the not-too-distant future, with an encouraging update provided by the relaunched club on Friday, but the lost and listless supporters shorn of their club so suddenly can at least take some degree of solace in seeing several past Worcester favourites shining on the biggest stage.

The Severn splits the cathedral city and on either side of the river, the Warriors spirit is strong. In the England camp, Fin Smith increasingly looks like the fly-half of the present and future, although his reunion with former club colleague Ollie Lawrence has been cut short by the centre’s serious achilles injury which has ended his season.

Across the border, Matt Sherratt is reaching the end of an interim stint that has breathed new life back into his adopted nation, the Cardiff coach set to return to club duties having counted two stops at Sixways as vital steps in his unlikely journey from schoolteacher to international interim boss.

How Wales coach Matt Sherratt forged Fin Smith into England’s fly-half of the future

Welsh banana skin gives England golden Six Nations opportunity

11:34 , Luke Baker

“We can’t be having that, can we?” Dafydd Jenkins smirked, the Wales lock stoking the fires when asked about the prospect of England winning a Six Nations title in Cardiff.

The plight of the home side may mean a meeting that, on paper, looks more lopsided than this encounter ever should but this rivalry still burns as brightly and intense as any that this championship has to offer.

Over the Severn Bridge England travel needing a favour from another auld foe to have a hope. France will need to lose to Scotland to give Steve Borthwick’s side a shot at hoisting the trophy late on Saturday night, but England dare not be preoccupied by the permutations, nor overlook the task at hand.

Taking care of their own business is a prerequisite to any mathematics that may follow; it may be 16 consecutive defeats for Wales but a win at the Principality never comes easy.

Read Harry Latham-Coyle’s analysis of this afternoon’s clash:

Welsh banana skin gives England golden Six Nations opportunity

Ireland and England must avoid Six Nations trap to set up thrilling finale

11:17 , Luke Baker

Spare a thought for the logistics team at the Six Nations, for which this has not been an easy week.

In their pre-tournament plotting and planning, this would surely have been both a dream and nightmare scenario: a “Super Saturday” where each and every game contains a title contender and the men’s champions will not be known until the bells of Notre-Dame chime 11 times.

The smart money would be of a straightforward Stade de France lifting of the trophy after France dispatch Scotland in Paris, but things are seldom that simple in this championship.

Take care of business themselves and Ireland and England could face an anxious wait, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on hold to host a hoisting if required, while an Irish three-peat would see an “opulent palazzo” employed to give a sense of ceremony to the medal presentation.

Read Harry Latham-Coyle’s full preview of the final day:

Ireland and England handed one task to ensure thrilling Six Nations finale

Wales vs England prediction: Title hopefuls can deliver vital Super Saturday victory

11:01 , Luke Baker

Before Steve Borthwick’s England can entertain any thoughts of winning the tournament, they’ll have to get past an old rival in the form of a Wales team who’ll be desperate to avoid ending the tournament with the wooden spoon.

Matt Sherratt’s side have lost all four of their matches in this year’s tournament, but a spirited late rally against Scotland last time out showed that they are not to be underestimated, especially at the Principality.

Nevertheless, the two sides’ recent form is reflected in the pre-match odds, with betting sites offering Wales at 10/3 to grab the win, with England as low as 2/9.

See our prediction and best bets:

Wales vs England prediction: Title Hopefuls Can Deliver Vital Super Saturday Victory

England team news

10:40 , Luke Baker

England reshuffle more radically after the season-ending injury sustained by Ollie Lawrence.

Tommy Freeman relocates to centre with Elliot Daly stationed on the wing and Marcus Smith recalled at full-back.

Tom Roebuck completes the back three on his first international start, while Ben Curry joins twin brother Tom in a mobile back row. 20-year-old flanker Henry Pollock is a fourth openside in the matchday 23 as he awaits a debut off a bench which also contains George Ford, sighted for the first time in this tournament.

England XV: 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3 Will Stuart; 4 Maro Itoje (capt.), 5 Ollie Chessum; 6 Tom Curry, 7 Ben Curry, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Alex Mitchell, 10 Fin Smith; 11 Elliot Daly, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 13 Tommy Freeman, 14 Tom Roebuck; 15 Marcus Smith.

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Chandler Cunningham-South, 20 Henry Pollock, 21 Tom Willis; 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 George Ford.

Wales team news

10:25 , Luke Baker

Wales hand Joe Roberts his first professional start on the wing as the Scarlets centre shifts outwards after injuries to Tom Rogers and Josh Adams.

The 24-year-old impressed in the role after Rogers’s early departure against Scotland and joins Ellis Mee and Blair Murray in a young, exciting back three.

Aaron Wainwright is also recalled to the starting side, with Tommy Reffell dropping to the bench.

Wales XV: 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 WillGriff John; 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 5 Will Rowlands; 6 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Jac Morgan (capt.), 8 Taulupe Faletau; 9 Tomos Williams, 10 Gareth Anscombe; 11 Joe Roberts, 12 Ben Thomas, 13 Max Llewellyn, 14 Ellis Mee; 15 Blair Murray.

Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Tommy Reffell; 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Nick Tompkins.

How to watch Wales v England

10:12 , Luke Baker

Wales vs England is due to kick off at 4.45pm GMT on Saturday 15 March at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BBC One, with coverage on the channel from 4pm GMT. A live stream will be available via the BBC iPlayer.

Everything you need to know about Wales v England

10:01 , Luke Baker

England will look to take the clubhouse lead on Six Nations Super Saturday as they travel to Cardiff to take on Wales.

Ever an eagerly-anticipated fixture, the rivalry takes on extra meaning on the final day of the championship with the visitors looking to put the pressure on France, who play Scotland to conclude the tournament.

A bonus point win for England would take them clear at the top of the table and force Fabien Galthie’s side to win to wrap up the title.

But the hosts would love nothing more than ending England’s chances as they look to snap their long losing run to finish Matt Sherratt’s encouraging interim stint with a flourish.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Is Wales vs England on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Six Nations clash

Wales v England

09:50 , Luke Baker

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Six Nations Super Saturday, which has the second game being a fascinating clash between Wales and England in Cardiff.

That one starts at 4.55pm and we’ll have full live coverage

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