On Saturday in Cardiff, England’s fly-half position will be filled by Marcus Smith, while Ellis Genge will lead the team as captain.
Smith, aged 24, returns to the starting lineup after his last appearance in the 53-10 loss to France during the Six Nations. Assisting him in the half-back partnership is his Harlequins teammate, Danny Care, who takes on the scrum-half role.
Excitingly, flanker Tom Pearson is set to make his debut for England, showcasing his talents on the field. Additionally, two potential debutants, Theo Dan and Tom Willis, have earned their places on the bench, awaiting the opportunity to make an impact.
Notably, Max Malins is the lone representative from the Premiership final to be named in the starting XV. His exceptional performance has earned him a spot in the crucial match against Wales.
Taking to Twitter, 2003 World Cup winner Neil back wrote: “Good luck guys, this is where the fun starts.”
Reacting to the XV, there were a number of positive reactions. One fan wrote: “Love it. Give the fringe players a proper test, a proper showing. Surely even the grumpiest of England fans can’t complain about that. Very excited for the weekend – lots to learn – let’s go!!!”
A second commented: “Oh look it’s the team that won’t start the World Cup.”
Another added: “My God, this actually looks like a bloody decent team.”
“Absolutely no complaints from me.. Superb squad,” said a fourth
However, not all the comments were positive. One fan wrote: “Glad I haven’t paid to go and watch this… I know he wants to try something different before RWC, but Wales could easily beat this side and we need momentum”
A second commented: “No Murley… AGAIN>”
Another wrote: “England have 4 games to get ready for a World Cup. Why are we wasting time with this garbage?”
Wales team to play England:
Leigh Halfpenny; Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Max Llewellyn, Rio Dyer; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Corey Domachowski, Ryan Elias, Keiron Assiratti, Dafydd Jenkins, Will Rowlands, Christ Tshiunza, Jac Morgan (capt), Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Nicky Smith, Henry Thomas, Ben Carter, Taine Plumtree, Tomos Williams, Dan Biggar, Mason Grady.
England team to play Wales:
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 22 caps)
14. Max Malins (Bristol Bears, 18 caps)
13. Joe Marchant (Stade Francais, 15 caps)
12. Guy Porter (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
11. Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 21 caps)
9. Danny Care (Harlequins, 87 caps)
1. Ellis Genge © (Bristol Bears, 48 caps)
2. Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 6 caps)
3. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)
4. David Ribbans (Toulon, 5 caps)
5. George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 1 cap)
6. Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints, 19 caps)
7. Tom Pearson (Northampton Saints, uncapped)
8. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 14 caps)
Replacements
16. Theo Dan (Saracens, uncapped)
17. Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 2 caps)
18. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 61 caps)
19. Jonny Hill (Sale Sharks, 19 caps)
20. Tom Willis (Saracens, uncapped)
21. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 12 caps)
22. George Ford (Sale Sharks, 81 caps)
23. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 56 caps)
England Rugby stars to be joined by their biggest army of WAGS at France World Cup
Below, you will find a list of the players’ partners, along with additional information about each of them:
#1. Beth Dolling (Marcus Smith)
Beth Dolling, whose Instagram handle is @bethdolling, is presently romantically involved with Marcus Smith, the fly-half for Harlequins.
Their relationship began in 2019, but the details of their initial encounter remain undisclosed. Beth is not only a model but also a singer, having participated in various campaigns for renowned brands like PrettyLittleThing, Missy Empire, and Rebellious.
She is affiliated with M Models in Manchester and Body London, showcasing glimpses of her fashion shoots on her Instagram story.
With 34,000 followers on Instagram, Beth keeps her fans engaged with her captivating content.
